The procedure under the PCT has several advantages for the inventor/applicant, the patent office and the general public.
First, the applicant has up to 18 months more than would be the case in a procedure outside the PCT, to reflect on the desirability of seeking protection in foreign countries, to appoint local patent agents in each foreign country, to prepare the necessary translations and to pay the national fees. And also the applicant is assured that, if the international application is in the form of prescribed by the PCT and has met the formal requirements; it cannot be rejected on formal grounds by designated office during the national phase of the processing of the application.
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