PCT AND GLOBAL PATENT SEARCH SERVICES
The Visegrad Patent Institute carries out two types of services. The International Search, Supplementary International Search, International-type Search and International Preliminary Examination services are carried out in the capacity of the VPI as International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority under the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) for applicants who are nationals or residents of one of the Visegrad Countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovak Republic), Serbia or Lithuania.
The Global Patent Search Services are carried out under the Agreement on the Visegrad Patent Institute for any interested party worldwide.
PCT
SERVICES
International Search (IS)
The international search (IS) is carried out by an International Searching Authority (ISA) concerning an international patent application which is filed with a Receiving Office (RO), in order to find the most relevant prior art documents regarding the claimed subject matter in the application.
International Preliminary Examination (IPE)
The international preliminary examination is (also referred to as “Chapter II”) is an optional part of the processing of an international patent application and can be used in order to obtain a preliminary and non-binding opinion as to whether the claimed invention appears to be novel, to involve an inventive step and to be industrially applicable.
Supplementary International Search (SIS)
The supplementary international search offers applicants the choice to request additional searches from ISAs other than the one that carried out the initial PCT search to obtain a more complete overview of the prior art in the international phase.
INTERNATIONAL TYPE SEARCH (ITS)
The international-type search offers applicants the possibility to complement the national patent search with an international-type search carried out by a competent ISA on a national patent application filed with a national patent office. (Service available: as from 1 January 2024.)
GLOBAL PATENT SEARCH SERVICES
NOVELTY SEARCH SERVICE (NSS)
The novelty search service provides prior art/state-of-the art information for a given invention/technical solution. NSS identifies patent documents and other publications that can be taken into account for the assessment of novelty and inventive step requirement in respect of the described invention for a flat fee within 4 weeks.
NOVELTY SEARCH WITH PRELIMINARY PATENTABILITY REPORT (NSPPR)
The novelty search with preliminary patentability report identifies patent documents and other publications that can be taken into account for the assessment of novelty and inventive step of the invention described, and gives a detailed reasoned opinion on whether the invention meets the three criteria for patentability (novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability) for a flat fee within 4 weeks.
ABOUT THE PCT
The PCT is an international treaty that makes it possible to seek patent protection simultaneously in a large number of countries by filing a single application. Granting the patent remains under the national or regional legislation.
Fees and Refunds
Download the Search Fee Refund Form from this page and find detailed instructions on how to submit it for quick payment. Read about our quality assurance and the legal framework of the operation of the VPI in our official documents.
Knowledge hub
The Knowledge hub of the Visegrad Patent Institute was created to share research, statistics, industrial best practice and benchmark information about international patenting in the Visegrad countries through publications and events.