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Request for correction and amendment of Vietnam trademark registration

Before the expiration of the time limit above, the NOIP shall complete the formality examination of applications and send notices on examination results to applicants. The request for correction and amendment has 2 forms:

*   For a valid application, the NOIP shall send to the applicant a notice on acceptance of valid application.

*   For an application failing to meet formal requirements, the NOIP shall send to the applicant:

About a notice of intended refusal to accept valid applications, clearly stating reasons and setting a time limit for the applicant to correct errors or to object such intended refusal andset a time limit of one month from the date of notification for the applicant to give opinions or correct errors.

Formality examination of Vietnam’s trademark registration

An application for a trademark registration filed with the NOIP shall be subject to formality examination for evaluating its validity.

The time limit for formality examination of an application is one (1) month from the filing date. In the course of formality examination, if the applicant corrects or supplements documents on his/her own initiative or upon the request of the NOIP, the time limit for formality examination may be prolonged for a period of time during which documents are corrected or supplemented.

The first to file principle of trademark registration in Vietnam

Viet Nam has adopted the first to file system, i.e. where two or more applications are filed by many different parties for registration of the same mark, the registration may only be granted to the valid application with the earliest priority or filing date among applications that satisfy all required conditions;

Where there are two or more applications satisfying all the conditions and having the same earliest priority or filing date, the registration may only be granted to a single application out of these applications under an agreement by all applicants. Without such an agreement, all these applications shall be refused for the grant of a mark registration.

Accordingly, it is advisable to file an application for a patent as soon as possible after the invention and not to make the invention public before filing the application.

Filing the application of trademark in Vietnam

In order to obtain the trademark registration in Viet Nam, you must file the application for granting a Trademark. The application for a trademark registration must be filed directly or by mail, to the National Office of Intellectual Property of Viet Nam (NOIP) or its brand offices in Ho Chi Minh City or Da Nang.

Organizations, individuals of Viet Nam, foreign individuals permanently residing in Viet Nam and foreign organizations and individuals having a production or trading establishment in Viet Nam may file applications for a mark registration either directly or though a lawful representative in Viet Nam.

Foreign individuals not permanently residing in Viet Nam, foreign organizations and individuals not having a production or trading establishment in Viet Nam shall file applications for a mark registration through a lawful representative in Viet Nam.

Foreign applicants can obtain a mark registration in Viet Nam by filing an international application with the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) which designates Viet Nam through the Madrid Agreement or the Madrid Protocol or both of them.

Procedure of the Trademark examination

In order to reach the trademark registration certificate, the applicants have to fulfill the whole examination  procedure  consists of following steps:

1. Filing the application

2. Request for correction and amendment

3. Refuse to accept the valid application

4. Publication of the application

5. Substantive Examination

6. Notification of substantive examination results

7. Notification of refusal

8. Notification of intention to grant a mark registration and request to pay fee

9. Issue the Mark Registration Certificate

10. Entry into the National Register of Industrial Property and publication of the Trademark Registration Certificate.

Documents of trademark applciations in Vietnam

Documents of trademark applications in Vietnam includes:

1.   A request made in prescribed form (as prescribed in the Circular No. 01/2007/TT-BKHCN);

2. Documents, samples, information identifying the mark as provided for in Articles 105 of the IP Law 2005 of Viet Nam (e.g. the mark samples and list of goods and services bearing the mark, and regulations on use of collective or certification marks where the mark is sought for protection is collective mark or certification mark;

3. Power of attorneys, if the application is filed through a representative;

4.     Documents evidencing the right to registration, if acquired by the applicant from another person;

5. Documents evidencing the priority right, if claimed;

6. Receipt of fees and charges.

All documents of the application shall be in Vietnamese, except for the documents mentioned at point c, d, e and other documents supporting the applications, which can be made in another language but shall be translated into Vietnamese at the request of NOIP.

Maintenance of validity of patents

To have the validity of his/her invention protection title maintained, a protection title holder shall pay a validity maintenance fee within six months before the expiration of the validity term.

The payment of the validity maintenance fee may be delayed for no more than six months after the expiration of the current validity term but the protection title holder shall pay the maintenance fee plus 10% for each month of delayed payment.

Transfer of Vietnam patent applications

Before the NOIP issues any of notices specified at Point 17.1.a of this Circular,an applicant may request the NOIP to record the transfer of his/her application to another person. Requests for recording of the transfer shall be made according  to a set form (not printed herein) and relevant provisions of Point 17.1 of this Circular,and must contain documents proving that the transferee satisfies the requirement on the right of registration.

Conversion of Vietnam patent applications

a/ Before the NOIP issues a notice of its refusal to grant a protection title or a decision on the grant of a protection title,an invention registration applicant may convert the application for an invention patent into one for a utility solution patent or vice versa according to the provisions of Point e,Clause 1,Article 115 of the Intellectual Property Law,if the applicant pays a prescribed application conversion fee.

b/ After receiving a valid request for application conversion,the NOIP shall continue carrying out the procedures for processing the converted application  according to relevant provisions but shall not carry out again the procedures already completed for the application before the conversion request is
made.

c/ Requests for application conversion made after the time limit specified at Point 17.3.a above shall not be considered. Applicants may file new applications bearing the filing dates (dates of priority,if any) of parent applications.

Division of Vietnam patent applications

a/ The applicant may divide,on his/her own initiative or upon the request of the NOIP,his/her application (division and transfer of one or several technical solutions in an invention registration application,one or several industrial designs in an industrial design registration application,one or several components of a mark or part of the  list of goods and services in a mark registration application to one or several new applications referred to as divisional applications).

b/ A divisional application must bear a new serial number and is entitled to the filing date or date(s) of priority (if any) of the parent application; and  shall be published according to the provisions of Point 14 of this Circular after the issuance of the notice on acceptance of valid application.

c/ For each divisional application,the applicant  shall pay a filing fee and all fees and charges for procedures carried out independently from the parent application but is exempted from the fee for claim for priority rights. Divisional applications are subject to formality examination and shall be further processed according to the procedures not  yet completed for their parent applications. Divisional applications shall be re-published and applicants shall pay a publication fee if the division is effected after the NOIP issues notices on acceptance of valid applications for parent applications.

d/ Parent applications (after being divided) shall be further processed according to normal procedures and applicants shall pay an amendment and supplement fee.

Amendment and supplementation of Vietnam patent applications

a/ Before the NOIP issues a notice on its rejection of an application, a notice on its refusal to grant a protection title or a decision on the grant of a protection title,the applicant may amend or supplement documents of the application on his/her own initiative or upon the request of the NOIP.

b/ In response to a request for amendment or  supplementation of the following documents,the applicant shall submit amended or supplemented copies of documents enclosed with a detailed written explanation of the amended contents as compared with the initially submitted documents:

(i) Invention description or abstract,for an invention registration application;

(ii) Drawings,photos or description,for an industrial design registration application;

(iii) Mark specimen,list of goods and services bearing the mark,for a mark registration application;

(iv) Description of distinct characteristics,a map of the geographical area subject to the geographical indication,for a geographical indication registration application.

c/ The amendment and supplementation of an application must not expand the protection coverage (or increase the protection volume) beyond the contents  disclosed in the description,for invention or industrial design registration applications,in the  list of goods and services,for mark registration applications,and must not change the nature of the object stated in the application. If the amendment expands the protection coverage (increases the protection volume) or changes the nature of the object sought to be protected,the applicant shall file a new application and all procedures shall be carried out a new.

d/ The applicant may request correction of errors in the names and addresses of the applicant and the author.

e/ All requests for amendment and supplementation must be made in writing according to a set form (not printed herein). A request may be made for amendment of the same content related to many applications,provided that the requester pays a fee based on the number of to-be-amended applications.

f/ If the applicant amends or supplements the application’s documents on his/her own initiative after the NOIP issues a notice on acceptance of valid application,the amendments or supplements shall be made according to the provisions of Points 13.2,13.3 and 13.6 of this Circular. Amended and supplemented application contents shall be published in the Industrial Property Official Gazette
according to the provisions of Point 14 of this Circular and applicants shall pay a prescribed fee for such publication.

g/ The amendment and supplementation of an application,including change of the mandated party,which is made by the applicant on his/her own initiative or upon the request of the NOIP,must be made in writing,clearly specifying the amended and supplemented contents,and enclosed with an amendment and supplementation fee receipt. Documents containing amendments and supplements to applications must comply with the relevant provisions of Points 7,10 and 13 of this Circular

Patent registration through PCT in Vietnam

1. The agency competent to receive international patent applications in Vietnam is the NOIP.  The NOIP shall:

a/ Receive international applications originating in Vietnam;

b/ Collect the fee for sending international applications and notify applicants of the prescribed fees to be paid to the International Bureau and the International Search Office under the Patent Cooperation Treaty – PCT (hereinafter referred to as the Treaty);
c/ Check whether or not the fees are paid on time;

d/ Check and process international applications originating in Vietnam under the Treaty;

e/ Identify objects sought to be protected: If objects sought to be protected of applications are classified as national secrets, next steps shall not be performed and paid fees shall be refunded to  applicants, except for the fees for sending and copying international applications;

f/ Send a copy (file copy) of an international application originating in Vietnam to the International Bureau and another copy (search copy) to the International Search Office;

g/ Send and receive mails to/from applicants and the International Bureaus.
 
2. Languages

International applications originating in Vietnam and filed to the NOIP must be in English. An application shall be made in three copies.  For applications with insufficient copies, the NOIP shall make additional copies and applicants shall pay the copying fee. 

3. International search offices and international preliminary examination offices

For international applications originating in Vietnam, competent international search offices and international preliminary examination offices are patent offices, industrial property or intellectual property offices of Australia, Austria, the Russian Federation, Sweden, the Republic of Korea and the European Patent Office.

4. International applications designating Vietnam

a/ If an international application designates Vietnam, the NOIP is the designated office. In this case, in order to enter the national phase, the applicant shall submit, within 31 months from the date of  priority, to the NOIP the following:  

(i)    Written declaration requesting invention registration, made according to a set form (not printed herein);

(ii)   Copy of the international application (if the applicant requests the entry into the national phase before the date of publication of the international publication);

(iii)            Vietnamese translation of the international application: The description, consisting of a description section, protection request, annotations for drawings and abstract (the published copy or initially filed original application, if the application has not yet been published, and modified copy  and explanation of modified contents, if the international application has been modified under Article 19 of the Treaty);

(iv)           National charges and fees.

b/ International applications filed with the NOIP within six months after the expiration of the time limit specified at Point 27.4.a above may be accepted on the condition that applicants pay the prescribed charges and fees. 

5. International applications electing Vietnam

a/ If an international application elects Vietnam, the NOIP is the elected office. In this case, if the election of Vietnam is made within 19 months from the date of priority, in order to enter the national phase, the applicant shall submit, within 31 months from the date of priority, to the NOIP the  following documents: 
(i) Written declaration requesting invention registration, made according to a set form (not printed herein); 
(ii) Vietnamese translation of the international application: The description, consisting of a description  section, protection request, annotations for drawings and abstract (the published copy or initially filed  original application, if the application has not yet been published, and modified copy and explanation of modified contents, if the international application has been modified under Article 19 and/or  Article 34(2)(b) of the Treaty); 
(iii) Vietnamese translations of annexes to the international preliminary examination report (when substantive examination of the application is requested); 
(iv) National charges and fees. 
b/ International applications filed with the NOIP within six months after the expiration of the time limit specified at Point 27.5.a above may be accepted on the condition that applicants pay the prescribed charges and fees. 

6. Claims for priority

To enjoy the priority, an applicant shall reaffirm  it in the written declaration, pay the charge for priority claim and submit, upon the NOIP’s request, Vietnamese translations of necessary documents already submitted to the International Bureau as  defined in Rule 17.1(a) of the Regulation on  implementation of the Treaty.

For PCT applications, the handling of claims for  priority shall comply with the Treaty and the Regulation on implementation of the Treaty.

Issuing the Patent Certificate in Vietnam

If the patent is granted, the NOIP shall request the applicant to pay the fee for the grant of a patent, the fee for notification of the patent grant decision, the registration fee and the fee for maintenance of the first year’s validity of the patent.

Within 10 days after applicants pay fully and on time the fees and charges, the NOIP shall carry out the procedures for granting the patent for the invention.

The Patent shall be recorded in the National Register of Inventions and the decision on granting the patent shall be published by the NOIP in the Industrial Property Official Gazette within two (2) months from the date of issuance and after applicants pay a publication fee.

The Decision of Refusal of patent application

If the applicant to whom the NOIP has sent a notice on its intended refusal of the application fails to correct errors or unsatisfactorily corrects errors or makes no opposition or makes unreasonable opposition to the intended rejection within the set time limit, the NOIP shall send a notice on its refusal of the application.

When dissatisfaction is in the decision of refusal of examiners, the applicant may appeal against the decision of refusal with Director General of NOIP or initiate lawsuits at court in accordance with procedures mentioned in the item (4) above.

Notification of the Substantive Examination Results of patent application

On the date of expiration of the time limit for substantive examination of an application at the latest, the NOIP shall send to the applicant one of the following notices:

–              a notice on its intended refusal to grant a patent, clearly stating the reason(s) for refusal, possibly guiding the change of the protection scope and setting a time limit of two (2) months from the date of issuance of the notice for the applicant to give opinions and satisfy the requirements (The applicant may request prolongation of the time limit), if the object claimed in the application fails to satisfy the protection conditions.

–              a notice on its intended refusal to grant a patent, clearly pointing out errors and setting a time limit of two (2) months from the date of issuance of the notice for the applicant to justify or correct errors. (The applicant may request prolongation of the time limit), if the object claimed in the application satisfies the protection conditions but the application still contains errors.

–              or makes reasonable justifications within the time limit abovea notice on its intended grant of a patent and request the applicant to pay the fee as referred to in the Item (10), if the object claimed in the application satisfies the protection conditions or makes reasonable justifications within the time limit above.