Converting a patent application

A patent applicant may, during the examination of the patent application, change their registration request to a utility model. Likewise, where the patent application is rejected in whole or in part, the applicant may, within twenty days of the notification of the Registration Authority's decision, file with the Registration Authority a request to register it as a utility model. In this case, the protection period for the utility model application is the same as the filing date of the original application.

Note 1 — Where the registration request is changed from a patent to a utility model, the difference in fees is non-refundable.

Note 2 — A utility model applicant may, before the Registration Authority's decision rejecting or accepting the application, change their registration request to a patent upon payment of the difference in fees, provided that it satisfies the substantive conditions required for registering a patent.

Note 3 — Simultaneous filing of a utility model application and a patent application is possible.