To file a patent in the UAE, you must submit your application to the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy, which manages intellectual property registrations.
Contact us to initiate the process of filing a patent in the United Arab Emirates. Click Here.
What is a patent in the United Arab Emirates?
In the UAE, the State grants patents as exclusive rights for new inventions and processes, allowing inventors to profit from them for 20 years. This patent lets inventors prevent unauthorized third parties from manufacturing, using, selling, or importing the patented invention.
How to file a patent in the United Arab Emirates?
The official language for patent filing in the UAE is Arabic. You may file in another language, but you must submit a sworn Arabic translation within 10 working days (or 60 days if applicable).
Patent approval usually takes 3 to 5 years without opposition.
A UAE patent application must include:
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Applicant’s full name and address
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Inventor’s full name and address
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Invention title and abstract
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Full description and claims (in Arabic and English)
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Formal drawings (in Arabic and English)
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Translation of any foreign application if extending
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Certified priority document within 30 days, including translation if needed
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Official search results from the original patent office
You can also file with the key info and a copy of the foreign patent and priority documents.
Contact us to initiate the process of filing a patent in the United Arab Emirates. Click Here.
Also, you may need to file a trademark in the United Arab Emirates
How is the Patent process in the United Arab Emirates?
- Application submission: The procedure can be initiated by filling in the application form through the eSystem or Personally at the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Economy. The procedure will not be considered received until payment of the corresponding fee is made.
- Preliminary Examination: From an administrative process it is verified (after 30 working days) that the information on the forms is complete and adequate. It is also verified that the abstract filed correctly describes the invention to be patented.
If any of the requirements are not complete on the submission form, the SIC will request you to complete the document in the time of 2 (two months), extendable for another 2 (two) months. - Publication: After the preliminary examination, the application must request publication. From that moment anyone can access its content and submit comments within the next 60 days. The observations made by third parties function as recommendations to be evaluated by the examiners. Within the first 18 months, the application can be requested to be published.
- Examination: The term to pay the Exam fee is 6 (six) months from the date of Publication. Patent examiners conduct a search in national and international databases to determine if the application meets the requirements of patentability.
Patent term:
The patent lasts 20 years from the application filing date.
Average time from filing to grant:
The United Arab Emirates grants a patent on average 5-6 years after filing.
Grant, validity term and maintenance fees
Once the UAE grants the patent, it remains valid for 20 years. You pay the 1st and 2nd annuities along with the filing fees.
The first payable annuity is the 3rd, calculated from the international filing date, and must be paid before the 2nd anniversary of that date. You then pay subsequent annuities annually on each anniversary of the international filing date.
Some Extra Facts
Representation by a patent attorney
Foreign patent applicants need to prosecute a patent application in the UAE through an attorney or agent registered in the country.
Check out our blog for more information on Intellectual Property.
Do you need to file a Patent in another country?
This content may suffer modifications due to updates in the official regulations of Argentina.
