The PCT Applicant's Guide
The PCT Applicant’s Guide is updated virtually every week with information received from PCT Contracting States and Offices.
It contains two general parts entitled “Introduction to the International Phase” and “Introduction to the National Phase” respectively, and the various Annexes concerning all Contracting States and Offices divided according to the functions of the Offices. You may navigate through the table below and click the respective icon “X” to access information about a particular State or Office acting in a specific capacity.
- Introduction to the International Phase
- Introduction to the National Phase
- PCT Contracting States (formerly Annex A)
- Country Names and Two-Letter Codes (formerly Annex K)
- Forms (other useful information)
- EQE Candidates (special version of eGuide)
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A
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
AE | United Arab Emirates | X | X | AE | |||||
AG | Antigua and Barbuda | X | X | AG | |||||
AL | Albania | X | X | X | AL | ||||
AM | Armenia | X | X | AM | |||||
AO | Angola | X | AO | ||||||
AP | African Regional Intellectual Property Organization | X | AP | ||||||
AT | Austria | X | X | AT | |||||
AU | Australia | X | AU | ||||||
AZ | Azerbaijan | X | AZ |
B
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
BA | Bosnia & Herzegovina | X | BA | ||||||
BB | Barbados | BB | |||||||
BE | Belgium | BE | |||||||
BF | Burkina Faso | BF | |||||||
BG | Bulgaria | X | BG | ||||||
BH | Bahrain | BH | |||||||
BJ | Benin | BJ | |||||||
BN | Brunei Darussalam | BN | |||||||
BR | Brazil | X | X | BR | |||||
BW | Botswana | BW | |||||||
BY | Belarus | X | BY | ||||||
BZ | Belize | BZ |
C
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
CA | Canada | X | X | X | CA | ||||
CF | Central African Republic | CF | |||||||
CG | Congo | CG | |||||||
CH | Switzerland | X | CH | ||||||
CI | Côte d'Ivoire | CI | |||||||
CL | Chile | X | X | X | CL | ||||
CM | Cameroon | CM | |||||||
CN | China | X | X | X | CN | ||||
CO | Colombia | X | CO | ||||||
CR | Costa Rica | CR | |||||||
CU | Cuba | X | CU | ||||||
CV | Cabo Verde | CV | |||||||
CY | Cyprus | CY | |||||||
CZ | Czechia | X | CZ |
D
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
DE | Germany | DE | |||||||
DJ | Djibouti | DJ | |||||||
DK | Denmark | DK | |||||||
DM | Dominica | DM | |||||||
DO | Dominican Republic | DO | |||||||
DZ | Algeria | DZ |
E
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
EA | Eurasian Patent Organization | EA |
|||||||
EC | Ecuador | EC | |||||||
EE | Estonia | EE | |||||||
EG | Egypt | EG | |||||||
EP | European Patent Organisation | X | EP | ||||||
ES | Spain | ES |
F
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
FI | Finland | FI | |||||||
FR | France | FR |
G
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
GA | Gabon | GA | |||||||
GB | United Kingdom | X | GB | ||||||
GD | Grenada | GD | |||||||
GE | Georgia | X | GE | ||||||
GH | Ghana | GH | |||||||
GM | Gambia | GM | |||||||
GN | Guinea | GN | |||||||
GQ | Equatorial Guinea | GQ | |||||||
GR | Greece | GR | |||||||
GT | Guatemala | X | GT | ||||||
GW | Guinea-Bissau | GW |
H
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
HN | Honduras | HN | |||||||
HR | Croatia | HR | |||||||
HU | Hungary | HU |
I
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
IB | World Intellectual Property Organization | IB | |||||||
ID | Indonesia | X | ID | ||||||
IE | Ireland | IE | |||||||
IL | Israel | IL | |||||||
IN | India | IN | |||||||
IQ | Iraq | IQ | |||||||
IR | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | IR | |||||||
IS | Iceland | IS | |||||||
IT | Italy | IT |
J
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
JM | Jamaica | JM | |||||||
JO | Jordan | JO | |||||||
JP | Japan | X | X | JP |
K
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
KE | Kenya | KE | |||||||
KG | Kyrgyzstan | KG | |||||||
KH | Cambodia | KH | |||||||
KM | Comoros | KM | |||||||
KN | Saint Kitts and Nevis | KN | |||||||
KP | Democratic People's Republic of Korea | KP | |||||||
KR | Republic of Korea | KR | |||||||
KW | Kuwait | KW | |||||||
KZ | Kazakhstan | KZ |
L
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
LA | Lao People's Democratic Republic | LA | |||||||
LC | Saint Lucia | LC | |||||||
LI | Liechtenstein | LI | |||||||
LK | Sri Lanka | LK | |||||||
LR | Liberia | LR | |||||||
LS | Lesotho | LS | |||||||
LT | Lithuania | LT | |||||||
LU | Luxembourg | LU | |||||||
LV | Latvia | LV | |||||||
LY | Libya | LY |
M
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
MA | Morocco | MA | |||||||
MC | Monaco | MC | |||||||
MD | Republic of Moldova | MD | |||||||
ME | Montenegro | ME | |||||||
MG | Madagascar | MG | |||||||
MK | North Macedonia | MK | |||||||
ML | Mali | ML | |||||||
MN | Mongolia | MN | |||||||
MR | Mauritania | MR | |||||||
MT | Malta | MT | |||||||
MU | Mauritius | MU | |||||||
MW | Malawi | MW | |||||||
MX | Mexico | MX | |||||||
MY | Malaysia | X | MY | ||||||
MZ | Mozambique | MZ |
N
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
NA | Namibia | NA | |||||||
NE | Niger | NE | |||||||
NG | Nigeria | NG | |||||||
NI | Nicaragua | NI | |||||||
NL | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) | NL | |||||||
NO | Norway | NO | |||||||
NZ | New Zealand | NZ |
O
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
OA | African Intellectual Property Organization | OA | |||||||
OM | Oman | OM |
P
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
PA | Panama | PA | |||||||
PE | Peru | PE | |||||||
PG | Papua New Guinea | PG | |||||||
PH | Philippines | PH | |||||||
PL | Poland | PL | |||||||
PT | Portugal | PT |
Q
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
QA | Qatar | QA |
R
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
RO | Romania | RO | |||||||
RS | Serbia | RS | |||||||
RU | Russian Federation | RU | |||||||
RW | Rwanda | RW |
S
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
SA | Saudi Arabia | SA | |||||||
SC | Seychelles | SC | |||||||
SD | Sudan | SD | |||||||
SE | Sweden | SE | |||||||
SG | Singapore | SG | |||||||
SI | Slovenia | SI | |||||||
SK | Slovakia | SK | |||||||
SL | Sierra Leone | SL | |||||||
SM | San Marino | SM | |||||||
SN | Senegal | SN | |||||||
ST | Sao Tome and Principe | ST | |||||||
SV | El Salvador | SV | |||||||
SY | Syrian Arab Republic | SY | |||||||
SZ | Eswatini | SZ |
T
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
TD | Chad | TD | |||||||
TG | Togo | TG | |||||||
TH | Thailand | TH | |||||||
TJ | Tajikistan | TJ | |||||||
TM | Turkmenistan | TM | |||||||
TN | Tunisia | TN | |||||||
TR | Türkiye | TR | |||||||
TT | Trinidad and Tobago | TT | |||||||
TZ | United Republic of Tanzania | TZ |
U
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
UA | Ukraine | UA | |||||||
UG | Uganda | UG | |||||||
US | United States of America | US | |||||||
UZ | Uzbekistan | UZ |
V
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
VC | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | VC | |||||||
VN | Viet Nam | VN |
W
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
WS | Samoa | WS |
X
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
XN | Nordic Patent Institute | XN | |||||||
XV | Visegrad Patent Institute | XV |
Z
International Phase | National Phase | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Two-Letter Code plus Country or Organization | General Information | Receiving Offices | International Searching Authorities (ISA) | ISA (Supplementary Search) |
International Preliminary Examining Authorities | Deposits of Biological Material | National Chapter | Code | |
Annex B | Annex C | Annex D | Annex SISA | Annex E | Annex L | Annex | |||
ZA | South Africa | ZA | |||||||
ZM | Zambia | ZM | |||||||
ZW | Zimbabwe | ZW |