Some offices allow the acceptance of equivalent search and examination carried out by another recognized office, if sufficient evidence is submitted by applicants. This might be in the form of an applicant supplying a search and examination report and the specification of a patent actually granted on an equivalent application. For example, the following offices allow such acceptance of equivalent work:
- Malaysia: Modified substantive examination;
- Cambodia: Cooperation between the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) and the Ministry of Industry & Handicraft of Cambodia.
- Argentina: The National Patent Administration considers the requirements of Article 4 Law No. 24.481 and international search pertaining to patent applications filed under that Law as fulfilled under certain conditions, provided that substantive examination conducted by another office applies the same patentability standard as Argentinian Law (Resolution No. 56/2016).