This page is an FAQ based on guidance from the Manual of Patent Examining Procedure. It is provided as guidance, with links to the ground truth sources. This is information only: it is not legal advice.
Filing an interim copy of a foreign application electronically can be done through the USPTO patent electronic filing system. The MPEP provides guidance on how to file different parts of the application:
- Main parts (Abstract, Drawings, Specification, Claims) and the cover sheet can be filed as a single PDF file.
- Text-only files (e.g., Sequence Listings, Large Tables) can be filed as .txt files.
- XML files (e.g., Standard ST.26 Sequence Listing) should be filed on a read-only optical disc.
The MPEP states: If not provided as a single paper document, the main parts of the interim copy of the foreign priority application, i.e., Abstract, Drawings, Specification, Claims, and where applicable, the foreign patent office’s equivalent to a ‘Sequence Listing’ (see MPEP § 2421.01 a ‘Sequence Listing XML’ (see MPEP § 2412), ‘Large Tables’ (see MPEP § 608.05(b)), or a ‘Computer Program Listing Appendix’ (see MPEP § 608.05(a)), along with the separate cover sheet required by 37 CFR 1.55(j), may be filed as a single PDF image file via the USPTO patent electronic filing system.
For more information on electronic filing, refer to MPEP § 502.05.