Country: BAHRAIN
Strategic Hub: Bahrain offers a highly favorable business environment with 100% foreign ownership allowed in most sectors.
Regulatory Body: IP rights are managed by the Directorate of Foreign Trade & Intellectual Property under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
International Standing: A member of WIPO and a signatory to the Madrid Protocol, making it a key destination for UAE-based businesses expanding in the GCC.
Member of PCT ?
YES
Can Convention priority be claimed ?
Yes- provided the amended claims and specifications are filed at the patent office before the substantive examination. The priority claim term shall be 12 months as of the date of first filing, according to Paris Convention. It is possible to enter a national phase patent application based on International PCT application. Such national phase applications must be filed within 30 months from the earliest priority filing date.
Patent Search
YES
Novelty requirement
Yes, worldwide
Deadline for filing supporting documents
Yes- 90 days
Does the invention specification have to be translated for filing
Yes, a translation into ARABIC is required
Required Documents
1- A Power of Attorney, duly legalized up to the Kuwait Consul.
 2- An extract from the commercial register of the applicant or a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation or of any equivalent document, if the applicant is a company, duly legalized up to the Kuwait Consul. 
3- If priority is claimed, date and number of corresponding foreign Patent,
 4- Specification, claims and abstract of the invention.
 5- Drawings.
 6- A Deed of Assignment, if the applicant is not the inventor, legalized up to the Kuwait Consul. The documents in 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 must be filed, along with the application while, document in 2 can be submitted within 90 days from the filing date. 
Examination
As to form, novelty, inventiveness, industrial applicability, unity, and compliance.
Publication
Published in the official gazette after grant
Opposition
60 days from grant and publication of patent
Duration
20 years from the international filing date
Compulsory Licensing
Working of patents is an official requirement. In case the owner of a patented invention in Bahrain fails to satisfy the stipulated working requirements of the country within 3 years, as of the date of grant, or within 4 years, as of the date of application, whichever is longer, the patent will be subject to compulsory licensing under the provisions of the law.
Annuities
Due annually on the anniversary of the international filing date and payable after grant. Grace period of 6 months for late payment with a surcharge
Assignment
1.Power of Attorney signed by the authorized signatory, notarized, and legalized up to Bahrain consulate or authenticated by an Apostille. 2.Duly legalized deed of assignment signed by the assignor and the assignee, legalized up to Bahrain consulate or authenticated by an Apostille.
License
Merger
Name / Address:
1. A Power of Attorney signed by the authorized signatory showing the new name or new address, notarized, and legalized up to Bahrain consulate or authenticated by an Apostille.      2. A certificate or any document issued by a competent authority attesting to the change of new name and/ or address of the company, legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille.
Trademark Search
 Not Mandatory- Possible for Word marks and Device marks
Trademark Filing
Single/Multi-Class Jurisdiction
Single class - a separate application for each class
Can services be registered
YES
Can convention priority be claimed
YES
Is the international classification
Yes - Nice Classification, 11th addition
Documentation and information required to file
 Power of Attorney duly legalized up to Bahrain Consulate or Apostilled  Certificate of Incorporation or an extract from the applicant’s entry in the Commercial Register, duly apostilled or legalized up to Bahrain Embassy or Consulate  Copy of priority document, if priority is claimed, certified.  Full name and address of the applicant.  Meaning/translation of the mark, if it is a wordmark.  Description of goods or services.  Specimen prints of the mark. (in JPEG format)
Opposition period after publication
60 days from publication date
Validity
10 years from filing date
Renewal
Renewal due
The trademark renewal can be requested as early as 12 months before the expiration date.
Grace Period
Six (6) months after expiration, upon payment of a late renewal fee.
Documents required to renew
A Power of Attorney signed in the name of the registered owner, legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille.
Proof of use due
None due
Documents required to file proof of use
N/A
Merger
Documentation and information required to file the recordal of Merger
â
License
Documentation and information required to file the recordal of License
 Power of attorney signed by the licensee and licensor duly legalized up to Bahrain Consulate or Apostilled.  License agreement signed by both parties duly legalized or apostilled as above.
Change of name or address
Documentation and information required to file the recordal of change of name or address
Certificate of change of name/address, with Apostille certification/legalized A certificate issued by the competent authorities evidencing the changes or an affidavit proving the changes duly legalized or apostilled as above.
Treaties and conventions
WIPO Convention, Brussels Convention,   Trademark Law Treaty, Berne Convention, Paris Convention, Rome Convention, WIPO Copyright Treaty, WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty, Patent Cooperation Treaty, Madrid Protocol, Nice Agreement, Patent Law Treaty, Budapest Treaty, World Intellectual Property Organization, World Trade Organization, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), GCC Patent Law.
Member of LOCARNO CLASSIFICATION
No
Can Convention priority be claimed:
Claiming priority under Paris Convention is possible at present. Priority can be claimed within six months of the filing date of the prior application.
Novelty Requirement
Absolute novelty is required for allowing protection of industrial designs in Bahrain.
Patent search
Applicable.
Deadline for filing supporting documents:
Multiple designs
Applicable up to 50 figures if they are similar, constitute a unity and fall in the same international class. No, multiple-design applications are not permissible in Bahrain and a separate application must be filed for each design.
Required Documents:
1. Power of Attorney signed by the authorized signatory, notarized, and legalized up to Bahrain consulate or authenticated by an Apostille 2. The name, address, nationality and occupation or nature of business of the applicant. 3. A certified copy of the certificate of incorporation of the applicant company, legalized up to Bahrain consulate or authenticated by an Apostille, if no priority is to be claimed. 4. A certified copy of the priority document, if priority is to be claimed. 5. Three representations of each design.
Publication
Design applications accepted by the Registrar are published in the Official Gazette.
Opposition
No provisions
Duration
10 years from the filing date and can be renewed only once for a further period of 5 years.
Compulsory licensing.:
Annuities:
Paid annually after grant on the anniversary of the publication date with 6 months surcharge grace period. Renewal for 1 term of 5 Years within 12 months from the expiry date or 6 months after expiry date with surcharge.
Assignment:
Merger:
Name / Address:
1. A Power of Attorney signed by the authorized signatory showing the new name or new address, notarized, and legalized up to Bahrain consulate or authenticated by an Apostille.      2. A certificate or any document issued by a competent authority attesting to the change of new name and/ or address of the company, legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille.

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