As governments begin easing travel restrictions in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), we are witnessing the reopening of several Intellectual Property Offices in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. With this update, we want to assure you that our main priority remains to ensure the safety and well-being of our people, families, clients, and the communities in which we live and work.

In order to ensure an uninterrupted service, you may send all your instructions, queries, and documents directly to your account managers and the people you are corresponding with at the offices concerned. We will docket all the instructions we receive from you, prepare all the required forms, and diarize all approaching deadlines in order to ensure proper follow-up and organization.

This article is being updated regularly. All new information is below.

Country

PTO Status

Deadlines

Submission of Original Documents & POAs

Last Updated

Afghanistan

Operational

 

Extensions are no longer applicable

Scanned copies of documentation and simply signed POAs are accepted

November 1, 2021

Algeria

Operational

 

Extensions are no longer applicable

PTO is operating/simply signed POAs are usually accepted

November 30, 2020

Bahrain

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

All documents are submitted online

November 30, 2020

Cyprus

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

A scanned copy of the documents and simply signed POAs are usually accepted

November 30, 2020

Djibouti

Operational

 

Extensions are no longer applicable

Usual procedure – original documents should be available at the time of filing .A simply signed POA is usually required

November 30, 2020

Ethiopia

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

 

TMO will be flexible in accepting the soft copies of the same and later originals to follow

November 30, 2020

Egypt

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

The Trademark and Patent Offices are accepting scanned documents and simply signed copies of POAs along with an email from the client or/attorney proving The difficulty of legalizing the required POAs. (Original documents should be submitted whenever possible)

December 20, 2020

Gaza

Operational

 

No extension announced

Extension of time is acceptable due to the current situation. Simply signed POAs are usually acceptable

June 1, 2021

Gulf Cooperation Council

Operational, but stopped accepting new patent filings. Read more here

Extensions are no longer applicable

All documents are submitted online

January 6, 2021

Iraq

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

Documents can be submitted within 6 months from filing date

February 25, 2021

Iraq (Kurdish Region)

 

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

Documents can be submitted within 6 months from filing date

February 25, 2021

Jordan

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

All documents should be submitted

November 30, 2020

Kuwait

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

All documents should be submitted once the PTO re-opens

November 30, 2020

Lebanon

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

Legalized POAs and documents are still required; but simply signed e-copies are accepted. No official notification about the submission of original documents.

February 8, 2021

Libya

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

Original documents can be submitted online or otherwise sent by courier

February 25, 2021

Morocco

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

Simply signed POAs are usually used. Recordal assignment and merger will be filed later on, because the related documents should be submitted at the PTO

November 30, 2020

Oman

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

All documents should be submitted

November 30, 2020

Pakistan

Operational

No extension announced

All documents should be submitted

November 30, 2020

Qatar

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

All original documents required to support new filing, oppositions, and responding to office actions

November 30, 2020

Saudi Arabia

Operational

Extensions are no longer applicable

Filing can be done with colored scanned copies

November 30, 2020

Sudan

Operational

No extension announced yet

Usual procedure – soft copies followed by originals. A simply signed POA is usually required

November 30, 2020

Tanzania

Operational

No extension announced yet

Original documents can be submitted online or otherwise sent by courier

November 30, 2020

Tunisia

Operational

No extension announced yet

TMO will be flexible during this period. A simply signed POA is usually required

May 17, 2021

UAE

Operational

No extension announced yet

Original documents can be submitted online or otherwise sent by courier

November 30, 2020

West Bank

Operational 

No extension announced yet

A simply signed copy of POA is sufficient and the original may be submitted within three months from the filing date. Due to the current situation, more than one extension of time is acceptable

March 14, 2021

Yemen

Operational

No extension announced yet

Original documents should be submitted once received without late surcharges, simply signed copies of the required documents are sufficient at this stage (original documents should be submitted whenever possible)

November 30, 2020

Zanzibar

Operational

No extension announced yet

Original documents can be submitted online or otherwise sent by courier

November 30, 2020

 

For more information on how to reach a particular office in the Saba IP Network, please click here

Should you have any questions, or require any additional information on the above, please contact us at support@sabaip.com