PATENT REGISTRATION PROCEDURE
IN KUWAIT
Kuwait is a major country in the western Asia, bordering Iraq to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south. Kuwait with a wealthy petroleum-based economy is one of the richest countries in the world with its currency Kuwaiti Dinar being a highest valued currency in the world. According to the World Bank, Kuwait is the fifth richest country in the world by gross national income per capita, and one of five nations with a GNI per capita above $70,000. As a result of various diversification policies, petroleum now accounts for 43% of total GDP and 70% of export earnings. The biggest non-oil industry is steel manufacturing.
With the significant rise in the entrepreneurship and small business start-ups in Kuwait, Kuwait was ranked fourth in the MENA region in start-up funding after UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Globally, Kuwait main export products are mineral fuels (89.1% of total exports), aircraft and spacecraft (4.3%), organic chemicals (3.2%), plastics (1.2%), iron and steel (0.2%), gems and precious metals (0.1%). Kuwait is the region’s most oil-dependent country with having lowest share of economic diversification.
The process of Patents registration in Kuwait is governed by provisions of Law No. 4 of 1962 Relating to Patents, Designs and Industrial Models and its amendment of 1999. Patents of invention shall, in conformity with the provisions of this Law, be granted for every new innovation liable to be industrially exploited, whether connected with new industrial products, or new industrial processes or means, or with the new application of known industrial means and processes.
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Filled application for patent registration
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Brief statement of the invention’s description, together with fees, to explain its subject matter
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Copy of the detailed description of the invention and its drawing
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Authorization contract to register the foreign patents, officially accredited by the official entities in the authorizing country and the Embassy of Kuwait
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Certificate of commercial register, memorandum of association, or articles of association (if the registration applicant is a company/entity) Copy of the civil ID (if the applicant is an individual (natural person))
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Arabic translation of the authorization contract, approved by the Ministry of Justice, Translation Section.
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Determination of the protection elements for the patent
The documents required for filing the patent application includes Patent Abstract in English and Arabic language should be submitted upon filing. Patent claims in English and Arabic language should be submitted within 90 days from filing date. Patent Specifications in English should be submitted upon filing. Patent Specifications in Arabic should be submitted within 90 days from filing date. Certified copy of the priority document translated to Arabic should be submitted within 90 days from filing date. Power of Attorney (POA): Original should be notarized and legalized at the Kuwaiti embassy and submitted within 90 days from filing date. Certified copy of the certificate of incorporation or an extract from the commercial registry legalized at the Kuwaiti embassy if the applicant is a company or a copy of the applicant’s passport if the applicant is an individual, submitted within 90 days from filing date. Deed of Assignment (DOA): signed by the inventor(s), notarized and legalized at the Kuwaiti embassy, and submitted within 90 days from filing date.