PROCEDURE OF FILING AND CONSIDERATION OF AN APPLICATION FOR INVENTION OR UTILITY MODEL

According to the Georgian Law on Patents the following documents must be attached to the patent application:
   1) Description
   2) Claims
   3) Abstract
   4) Drawings, if they are necessary for revealing an invention or utility model
   5) International Search Report and International Preliminary Examination Report, if available.
   Within one month from the filing date document certifying payment of official fee for the formal examination and power of attorney duly signed by the applicant must be filed with the Patent Office.
   If the application is filed by the assignee, within one month from the filing date the assignment document must be filed.
   Description, claims and abstract can be filed in foreign language providing that within two months these documents will be translated into Georgian.
   Within one month from the date of receipt of the document certifying payment of the formal examination the Patent Office confirms the filing date of the application.
   Within one month from the day of confirmation the Patent Office carries out the formal examination.
   Within three months after completion of the formal examination official fee for the substantive examination must be paid.
   Within 6 months after payment of the substantive examination the Patent Office determines state of art, on its basis carries out examination to determine a novelty and issues a documentary conclusion. Within 2 months after receipt of the documentary conclusion the applicant can file new version of the claims providing that they will be within the bounds of the essence of the description. After that the Patent Office takes a preliminary decision about issue of the patent.
   Within 3 months after issue of the preliminary decision the fee for the publication must be paid. After that the Patent Office publishes data in the official industrial property bulletin.
   Within 3 months from the date of publication any interested person can file objections against issue of the patent.
   In this event the Patent Office sends objection documents to the applicant. Within 2 months the applicant can respond or change the claims.
   After that the Patent Office takes corresponding decision about issue of the patent. After issue of the decision within three months official fee for granting and maintenance of the patent in force must be paid.
   After payment the Patent Office registers the invention (utility model) and issues the Letters Patent.