GENERAL INFORMATION:

The State of Kuwait is situated on the north-western corner of the Arabian Gulf. It is bordered in the east by the Arabian Gulf, in the south and west by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and in the north and the west by the Republic of Iraq.

Trademarks, patents and designs are accepted for registration in Kuwait in accordance with Trademark Law and Regulations and the corresponding Implementing Regulations promulgated in the Official Gazette No. 317, dated 15 March 1961.

On 7 January 1995, the new Trademark Law in Kuwait issued by the Ministerial Decision No. 8, of 1995 made provisions for the registration of servicemarks.

The period of registration for a trademark is ten years, renewable for similar periods.

LAWS

Trade Marks:

Law No. 2 of 1961

Ministerial Act No. 8 of 1995

Law No. 1 of 2001

Patents :

Patents, Designs and Industrial Models Law No. 4 of 1962

Patent Law No. 3 of 2001

Designs:

Patents, Designs and Industrial Models Law No. 4 of 1962

Copyright:

Kuwaiti Law No. 64/1999 on the protection of intellectual property rights, January 2000

FILING REQUIREMENTS IN KUWAIT

A - TRADE/SERVICE MARK REGISTRATION

1. An Authorisation of Agent form, signed by the applicant and duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.
2. A certified copy of the home registration certificate showing clearly the goods or services to be registered. In the absence of the home registration certificate, a certified copy of any foreign registration of the trademark can be used along with the certificate proving that the trademark was not registered in the home country. This certificate should be duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.
3. Twelve prints of the trademark identical to the one affixed on the application for registration.
4. A clear statement of the goods to be covered and colours to be protected by the trademark.

B - PATENT REGISTRATION

1. An Authorisation of Agent form, signed by the applicant and duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.
2. A legalised extract of the entry of the applicant in the commercial Registry or an official extract of the Memorandum or Articles of Association, if the applicant is a company or a corporate body.
3. Evidence from the appropriate authority proving that the country to which the applicant belongs accords applicants from Kuwait reciprocity of treatment by accepting their patent applications.
4. Title of the patent.
5. Summary of description of'the invention.
6. Two copies of the specification of the invention. The documents should be submitted along with their translations into the Arabic language.
7. Two sets of'the formal drawings bearing Arabic numerals and prepared on Bristol boards.
8. The name, address, nationality and occupation of the applicant.
9. The name, address, nationality and occupation of the inventors.
10. The number and date of the foreign corresponding patent.
    (All the aforementioned documents should be legalised in accordance with local requirements and then consularised at the Kuwaiti Embassy. Subsequent translation and Authorisation required by the Ministry of' Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice in Kuwait, can be arranged by us.)

C - DESIGN OR INDUSTRIAL MODEL REGISTRATION

1. An Authorisation of Agent form, signed by the applicant and duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.
2. Where the applicant is a company or a corporate body, an extract of its entry in the Commercial Registry or an official copy of its Memorandum or Certificate of Incorporation.
3. Two representations of each design or model showing the various views. The figure of the design or model shall be placed in an upright position on the sheet. When more than one figure of the design or model are shown, these will be on the same sheet and each will be designated as "perspective view", "front view", or "side view", as the case may be.
4. The name, address, nationality and occupation of the applicant.
   (Where the representation is drawn by hand, it shall be in ink on paper or tracing cloth).

D - RECORDAL OF AN ASSIGNMENT

1. An Authorisation of Agent form, signed by the Assignee and duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the Assignee.
2. A certificate of registration or Deed of Assignment proving the assignment, duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy.
3. The original Kuwaiti certificate of registration of the trademark for endorsement purposes.

E - RECORDAL OF CHANGE OF NAME/ADDRESS

1. An Authorisation of Agent form, signed by the applicant and duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.
2. A certificate proving the change of name and address, duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.

F -RECORDAL OF MERGER

1. An Authorisation of Agent form, signed by the applicant and duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.
2. A copy of the merger document, duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.

G - CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION

1. An Authorisation of Agent form giving the power to cancel the registration, duly legalised by the Kuwaiti Embassy in the country of the applicant.