National Patent / Utility Model Applications

Upon submission of the required documents, a patent / utility model application can be filed in Turkey and a protection can be obtained with duration of 20 years for examined patents, 7 years for unexamined patents and 10 years for utility models. However, processes and chemical inventions can not be protected by utility models. Where the (substantive) examination request is made within the period of 7 years and the patent granted after such (substantive) examination is conducted, the term of the patent shall be completed to 20 years as of the date of filing the application in Turkey.

Depending on an examination on formal terms of application, the Turkish Patent Institute conducts novelty searches and substantive examinations on patents falling under certain International Patent Classifications. The TPI also has agreements with various searching/examining authorities such as Swedish, Danish, Russian, European Patent Office and Austria authorities at present for these tasks. It is up to the applicant of a Turkish case to choose the desired authority. Subject to an additional fee, only the Austrian Patent Office performs accelerated searches/examinations.