• Patent fees

Fees associated with Qatari PCT national phase entry as well as other patent fees are available in the fee calculator.

• Deadline for the PCT national phase entry in Qatar

The time limit for PCT national phase entry in Qatar is 30 months from the priority date. The restoration of this term is not possible.

• Filing requirements in Qatar

The official language of the Qatari patent application is Arabic. The Arabic translation of the required documents is allowed to be filed within 6 months from the national phase entry date.

To obtain the date of filing a PCT national phase patent application in Qatar should contain:
- a request to grant a patent;
- applicant(s) and author(s) details (names, addresses, nationalities);
- title and abstract in Arabic, full text of the application as well as drawings, if any.

The duly legalized Power of Attorney up to the Qatari Consulate in the applicant’s country, further super legalized by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is required. A legal Arabic translation of the POA should be certified by an approved local translation office in Qatar. The term for submission of the document is 3 months from the filing date.

• Examination of a PCT national phase patent application in Qatar

PCT application in Qatar undergoes the formal and substantive examination. Substantive examination should be requested upon national phase entry.

• Novelty grace period

No novelty grace period is stipulated in Qatari legislation.

• Grant, validity term and maintenance fees

Official fees for granting and publication should be paid within 3 months from the date when Notice of Allowance was issued. The validity term of Qatari patents is 20 years from the international filing date. Annual maintenance fees should be paid for each year following the first anniversary of the international filing date. Late payment is possible within 12 months grace period by paying a corresponding surcharge.

• Duration of registration procedure

It takes an average of 2-3 years from filing up to grant of a patent in Qatar in case of a smooth procedure.

• Utility model

Utility model protection is not stipulated by the IP legislation in Qatar.

• Representation by a patent attorney

It is obligatory for foreigners to perform the patent prosecution in Qatar through an agent, a registered Qatari patent attorney.

Brief summary is based on the information provided by ONE WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY on 27.09.2024
Please contact us if the above information is not in conformity with Qatari IP Laws