Is there such a thing as an international patent?
No. Patents are granted country by country. A PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) application is a single international application that keeps your right to seek a patent in any of the 159 PCT countries. The actual patents are granted later by each national or regional office.
When should I file a PCT application?
Within 12 months of your first patent application in India (the priority date). Filing within this window lets you keep your Indian filing date for all PCT countries.
Do I need permission before filing a patent outside India?
Yes, if you are resident in India. Under Section 39 of the Patents Act you must either file in India first and wait six weeks, or obtain written permission from the Controller (Form 25) before filing abroad, including a PCT application. Filing without it is an offence under Section 118, and a related Indian application can be treated as abandoned.
Where can I file a PCT application from India?
With the Indian Patent Office acting as receiving office, or directly with WIPO’s International Bureau. The Indian Patent Office can also act as the International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority, which keeps search fees low.
How much does a PCT application cost?
Official international-stage fees include the WIPO international filing fee of CHF 1,330 (reduced by 90% for individual Indian inventors), a search fee (₹2,500 for individuals, startups and small entities, or ₹10,000 for others at the Indian Patent Office), and a transmittal fee for paper filings. National-phase fees are paid later in each country you choose. We work on economical, reasonable professional fees and share a transparent quote.
What is the national phase?
At 30 months from the priority date (31 months in some offices, including India and the European Patent Office) you must enter the national phase in each country or region where you want protection — filing there, paying national fees and providing translations where required.
What does the international search report tell me?
It lists the most relevant prior art found by the searching authority and comes with a written opinion on whether your invention appears new and inventive. It usually arrives around 16 months from the priority date and helps you decide where it is worth continuing.
Do startups get reduced PCT fees?
At the Indian Patent Office, startups, small entities and educational institutions pay lower fees — for example ₹2,500 instead of ₹10,000 for the international search. WIPO’s 90% reduction on the international filing fee applies only to individual inventors who are Indian nationals and residents, not to companies.