International Patent Filing (PCT)
Extend your patent rights across the globe.
TAG EN: Global Protection
TAG ES: Protección Global
TAG PT: Proteção Global
HEADING EN: What is the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)?
HEADING ES: ¿Qué es el Tratado de Cooperación en materia de Patentes (PCT)?
HEADING PT: O que é o Tratado de Cooperação em Matéria de Patentes (PCT)?
A patent is strictly territorial. A U.S. patent only protects you in the United States. To get international protection, you must file in other countries. The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is an international agreement that makes it easier to file patent applications in up to 157 countries simultaneously.
ℹ️ Info: A PCT application does NOT grant an "international patent." It is a unified procedure for filing patent applications to protect inventions internationally. It buys you 30 months of time to decide which specific countries to enter.
Critical Risks
- You generally only have 12 months from your initial U.S. filing date (priority date) to file your PCT application. If you miss this deadline, you permanently lose the right to file internationally.
Expand Your Global Reach Reach
Talk to our PCT experts to secure your international rights.
