What can result in an application being rejected or refused?
Formal and technical deficiencies, failure to respond to notices and unpaid fees may result in your application being refused or rejected. Consequently, please ensure that you pay fees and respond to notices on time.
PRV subjects your application to both a formal and a technical examination. If PRV discovers deficiencies in your application, you are given the opportunity to rectify or challenge these through what are known as notices. Several notices can be sent for the same application as the procedure progresses. It is important that you respond to notices and pay fees on time, otherwise there is a risk of your application being rejected or refused.
As of three years from the application being submitted, you are also liable to pay annual fees to PRV. Annual fees are payable even if your application is still being processed at that time. If the patent is subsequently granted you continue paying annual fees for each year you want to maintain your patent.
The patent application process is complex and may be difficult to understand for those who have just started learning about patents. That is why we advise you to get help from a patent attorney.