International Trademark Registration

The price for applying for an international trademark registration will depend greatly on the countries in which registration is sought, as each jurisdiction establishes its own fees for registration. It will also depend on the goods and services for which the trademark application will be filed, as more classes of goods or services mean higher fees.

In order to determine the budget to allocate to trademark registration, companies should first determine the countries in which they want to register. It is recommended that the trademark is registered in the countries where it is being used or will be used in the short to medium term.

If all the countries in which registration needs to be done are signatories of the Madrid system, then using it to file for registration could significantly lower the cost of international trademark registration. However, trademark owners need to make sure that they are eligible, that is to say, that they are from a signatory country.

Once you have determined the list of countries in which you need to register the trademark, you can contact us directly to obtain a quote.

In order to ensure that the process is as fast as possible we recommend ordering a trademark search prior to filing an application for registration. Ordering the search will help avoid objections or oppositions which can negatively affect the registration process length.

Although there is no way to conduct a trademark search worldwide, since there is no global brand database, there are several trademark databases that can be used to get an idea of the general availability of the trademark. For instance, the World Intellectual Property Organization has one, as well as the EUIPO which offers the TMView database. If the global trademark search reveals no major issues, then specific searches in each country can be done to ensure that local registration is possible.

The length of the registration process differs depending on the country. On average, a duration of 12 to 18 months should be considered for a straightforward process. Some countries are significantly faster than others however, and issues such as receiving objections or oppositions can considerably slow the process.

In the case of the Madrid system, a maximum process time of 18 months is required by WIPO; this is only if the process is straightforward.

Having your trademark registered in one country does not grant it protection in other countries. This means that others could use an identical or very similar trademark to sell similar products in other countries if you do not have trademark protection in those countries.

This is why we recommend registering in the countries where you are using the trademark or plan to do so in the near future. This way, you will avoid finding yourself in situations where you are infringing on someone else’s trademark rights, or where you are unable to use the same trademark in various countries. This is something that can happen even to global companies.