What are the requirements for U.S. applicants filing international applications?

For international applications filed on or after September 16, 2012, there are specific requirements for U.S. applicants:

• Only residents or nationals of the United States can file international applications in the U.S. Receiving Office.
• For the designation of the United States, the applicant must be the inventor or other person as provided in 37 CFR 1.422 or 1.424.
• Joint inventors must jointly apply for an international application.

The MPEP states: Although the United States Receiving Office will accept international applications filed by any applicant who is a resident or national of the United States of America for international processing, for the purposes of the designation of the United States, an international application will be accepted by the Patent and Trademark Office for the national stage only if the applicant is the inventor or other person as provided in § 1.422 or § 1.424.

To learn more:

• U.S. applicants
• international applications
• USPTO requirements
• joint inventors