Patents

On 13 December 2017 there were 1292 patents on the Fiji Patents Register. The Patents Act dates back to the early 20th century and provides for either independent or UK based applications. All independent applications are sent to Australia for examination and are likely to take at least four years to be registered. In practice, UK based applications, which have been subjected to the British examination process, proceed more quickly.Again, priority as such is not available on filing of applications, but a prior application would signal to the Registrar a possible issue in respect of any subsequent rival filing.Independent patents are valid for fourteen years from the date of issue of letters patent. UK based patents are valid for the remaining term of the UK patent.There has been an amendment to section 3 of the Patent Act (by Act No. 21/2002) which allows the manufacture of patented pharmaceuticals for authorized research purposes.

Requirements for filing a patent application

We require the following to file a patent application:-

  1. an original authorisation of agent;
  2. a petition;
  3. a specification (or instrument in writing) describing and ascertaining the nature of the invention and the manner in which the invention is to be produced or performed and drawings illustrating the invention (if any);
  4. a declaration;
  5. a certified copy of the specification(s) including drawings (if any) of the UK patent and a certificate of the Comptroller-General of the UK Patent Office giving full particulars of the issue of the patent on such specification(s), if the application is to be based on a UK registration.

All documents must be filed in duplicate for independent applications. All applications are prepared on behalf of clients. The Registry will not accept any applications for filing without original documentation.

Download pdfDownload Patent Authorisation of Agent form  (PDF 36 KB)

 

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