Procedures

Estimated three (3) to four (4) years for smooth application

• Filing new patent application
• National Phase entry via PCT route within thirty-one (31) months from the earliest claimed priority date
  OR
• Patent application via Paris Convention route within twelve (12) months from the earliest claimed priority date
• Formality examination
• Publication(by nineteen (19) months from filing date)
• Substantive examination (based on search and examination reports from other IP offices around the world)
• Grant of the patent

Requirements

• Name, nationality and address of the applicant(s) and inventor(s)
  
• Patent specification including description, claims, abstract and drawing(s)
• Power of Attorney
• Deed of Assignment transferring rights of the invention from the inventor(s) to the applicant(s)
• Priority details (if any)
• Certified copy of Priority Document (if priority is claimed)
• A copy of the international application (PCT/RO/101) (for PCT route)
• PCT publication (for PCT route)
• Application should be filed in Lao

Grant & Maintenance

• Twenty (20) years from the filing date
  
• Payment of annuity fee can be made yearly or on an accumulated basis four (4) times, timed as follows:
• First annuity payment (1st – 4th year)
• Second annuity payment (5th – 9th year)
• Third annuity payment (10th – 14th year)
• Fourth annuity payment (15th – 20th year)

Remarks*

• Petty patent is available with validity term of ten (10) years from the filing date
  
• Novelty grace period: twelve (12) months before first priority date or filing date
  

Legal Basis

• Law No. 01/NA of 20th December 2011, on Intellectual Property (as amended) (2011)
  
• Decree No. 01/PM of Prime Minister on Patent, Petty Patent and Industrial Designs (2002)
  
• Regulation No. 22/STEA-PMO on the Implementation of Decree on Patent, Petty Patent and Industrial Designs (2003)
  

Procedures

Estimated twelve (12) to sixteen (16) months for smooth application

• Filing new industrial design application
• Paris Convention route to be filed within six (6) months from the earliest claimed priority date
• Formality examination
• Proceed to registration
• Publication in the official industry gazette

Requirements

• Name, nationality and address of the applicant(s) and designer(s) / author(s)
  
• Power of Attorney
  
• Signed Deed of Assignment if the applicant(s) is not the designer(s) / author(s)
  
• Representation of the design with respective view(s) to be filed
• Title and brief description of the design
• Classification of the design in accordance with Locarno Classification
• A brief statement of the type of goods to which the industrial design relates
• Priority details (if any)
• Certified true copy of Priority Document (if priority is claimed)
• Application should be filed in Lao

Validity Term & Maintenance

• Initial protection of five (5) years from the filing date
  
• Renewal for a further period of ten (10) years subject to the payment of a renewal fee every five (5) years, for a total of fifteen (15) years
  
• The fee should be paid within ninety (90) days preceding the expiration date of the registration
  

Remarks*

• Multiple design application is available
  
• Novelty grace period: six (6) months before first priority date or filing date
  

Legal Basis

• Law No. 01/NA of 20th December 2011, on Intellectual Property (as amended) (2011)
  
• Decree No. 01/PM of Prime Minister on Patent, Petty Patent and Industrial Designs (2002)
  
• Regulation No. 22/STEA-PMO on the Implementation of Decree on Patent, Petty Patent and Industrial Designs (2003)
  

Requirements

• Sample of the work or creation (can be in the form of: printed materials, CD/USB (forsoftware creation) and manual book)
• Name, nationality and address of the applicant(s) and the author(s) or creator(s)
• Type and title and brief descriptions of the copyright
• Information on the first publication of the creation
• Certificate of Information
• Application should be filed in Lao

Protection Duration

• Life of the author plus fifty (50) years after the date of death of the last surviving author for a work of joint authorship
  
• Fifty (50) years from the date the work was lawfully made available to the public for anonymous or pseudonymous works
  
• Fifty (50) years from the date of first publication for cinematographic work
  
• Twenty-five (25) years from the date the work was created for applied art work
  

Remarks*

• Copyright in Laos is an automatic protection, which arises immediately when the work is created without registration requirements
  
• Registration of copyright is in voluntary nature but can be recorded for the purpose of evidence of legal ownership
  

Legal Basis

• Law No. 01/NA of 20th December 2011, on Intellectual Property (as amended) (2011)