What is the ‘certified copy’ of a foreign application?

A certified copy of a foreign application is a copy of the original foreign application with a certification by the patent office of the foreign country in which it was filed. According to the MPEP, “Certified copies ordinarily consist of a copy of the specification and drawings of the applications as filed with a certificate of the foreign patent office giving certain information.” It’s important to note that a copy of the certified copy filed by the applicant will not satisfy the requirement for a certified copy.