What is a national application according to the USPTO?

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.

According to 37 CFR 1.9(a)(1), a national application is defined as:

• A U.S. application for patent filed in the USPTO under 35 U.S.C. 111
• An international application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty in which the basic national fee under 35 U.S.C. 41(a)(1)(F) has been paid
• An international design application filed under the Hague Agreement in which the USPTO has received a copy of the international registration pursuant to Hague Agreement Article 10

This definition encompasses various types of patent applications that are treated as national applications by the USPTO.