During the R&D process, many Vietnamese inventors generate advanced technical solutions with massive industrial and commercial potential. However, intellectual property rights over inventions are strictly territorial. To protect your global market share and prevent competitors from pirating your proprietary technology, expanding your patent portfolio internationally is a vital commercial necessity.
As an elite accredited Intellectual Property Agent, SBLAW provides a strategic breakdown of the two most optimal pathways to register and protect Vietnamese inventions worldwide.
1. Two Main Pathways for Global Patent Protection
To secure patent protection across multiple target jurisdictions, Vietnamese applicants can strategically leverage one of the following legal frameworks:
Pathway 1: Direct National Filing via the Paris Convention
Under this framework, the applicant first files a foundational patent application in Vietnam to secure the earliest possible filing date as the Priority Date.
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Strict Statutory Deadline: Within 12 months from the initial filing date in Vietnam, the applicant must formally submit direct patent applications to the patent offices of the target countries.
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Processing Mechanism: Each application is examined and prosecuted independently in strict compliance with the local intellectual property laws of each respective country.
Pathway 2: International Patent Filing via the PCT System
If the target jurisdictions are member states of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), choosing this pathway delivers distinct administrative advantages.
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Processing Mechanism: The applicant files a single international application in one language (via the IP Office of Vietnam or directly with the WIPO International Bureau). This single filing establishes a unified filing date across more than 150 PCT member countries.
2. Comparative Analysis: Paris Convention vs. PCT System
To assist enterprises in aligning their IP strategy with capital allocation and international expansion timelines, SBLAW has structured a technical comparison matrix:
| Comparative Parameters | Paris Convention Route | PCT International Route |
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Filing Deadline Abroad (From the initial Vietnamese priority date) |
Maximum of 12 months Example: Filing in VN on July 1, 2025, sets the hard deadline for foreign filings on July 1, 2026. |
Up to 30 – 31 months (Grants enterprises an extra 18-month cushion to secure investment and perform market feasibility studies before initiating local entries). |
| Formality Examination | Subject to separate procedural criteria and language translations of each target country. | Standardized under a unified receipt and formal examination protocol handled by the international bureau. |
| Initial Capital Overhead | High immediate overhead due to concurrent local attorney and translation fees across all target countries within month 12. | Minimized initial overhead, allowing the deferral of hefty local translation and national phase entry fees. |
3. Average Patent Substantive Examination Timelines by Country
Substantive examination for patents requires extensive scientific data verification. Below is the average duration required to secure a patent grant across various critical markets, compiled by SBLAW’s patent prosecution team:
| Jurisdiction | Average Examination Timeline | Jurisdiction | Average Examination Timeline |
| Vietnam | 34 – 36 months | Malaysia | 34 – 37 months |
| United States (USA) | 34 – 36 months | Singapore | 32 – 40 months |
| Japan | 36 – 44 months | Indonesia | 40 – 44 months |
| Thailand | 34 – 36 months | Philippines | 31 – 36 months |
| Cambodia | 34 – 36 months | Brunei | 32 – 36 months |
| Laos | 15 – 20 months | Myanmar | 6 – 8 months |
4. Professional International Patent Prosecution Services by SBLAW
Filing patent applications across borders requires absolute precision regarding technical-legal terminology and rigid deadline management. A minor formatting defect can result in irrevocable priority losses or absolute patent rejections worldwide.
SBLAW delivers elite, end-to-end global patent representation for Vietnamese and multinational innovators:
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Providing strategic counseling to evaluate the merits of Paris Convention vs. PCT filings tailored to corporate budgets.
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Conducting exhaustive global prior art and availability searches.
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Providing precise technical translations and drafting patent specifications and claims under international compliance standards.
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Cooperating with an elite global network of IP law firms across over 100 countries to seamlessly prosecute applications until a patent is successfully granted.
Safeguard your global innovation assets securely. Contact SBLAW today at +84 904 340 664 for a specialized consultation.
