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§ 1.421 Applicant for international application. - PATENT RULES
§ 1.421 Applicant for international application.
(a) Only residents or nationals of the United States of America may file international applications in the United States Receiving Office. If an international application does not include an applicant who is indicated as being a resident or national of the United States of America, and at least one applicant:
(1) Has indicated a residence or nationality in a PCT Contracting State, or
(2) Has no residence or nationality indicated, applicant will be so notified and, if the international application includes a fee amount equivalent to that required by § 1.445(a)(4), the international application will be forwarded for processing to the International Bureau acting as a Receiving Office (see also § 1.412(c)(6)).
(b) Although the United States Receiving Office will accept international applications filed by any resident or national of the United States of America for international processing, for the purposes of the designation of the United States, an international application must be filed, and will be accepted by the Patent and Trademark Office for the national stage only if filed, by the inventor or as provided in §§ 1.422 or 1.423. Joint inventors must jointly apply for an international application..
(c) For the purposes of designations other than the United States, international applications may be filed by the assignee or owner.
(d) A registered attorney or agent of the applicant may sign the international application Request and file the international application for the applicant. A separate power of attorney from each applicant may be required.
(e) Any indication of different applicants for the purpose of different Designated Offices must be shown on the Request portion of the international application.
(f) Requests for changes in the indications concerning the applicant, agent, or common representative of an international application shall be made in accordance with PCT Rule 92bis and may be required to be signed by all applicants.
(g) Requests for withdrawals of the international application, designations, priority claims, the Demand, or elections shall be made in accordance with PCT Rule 90bis and must be signed by all applicants. A separate power of attorney from the applicants will be required for the purposes of any request for a withdrawal in accordance with PCT Rule 90bis which is not signed by all applicants. The submission of a separate power of attorney may be excused upon the request of another applicant where one or more inventors cannot be found or reached after diligent effort. Such a request must be accompanied by a statement explaining to the satisfaction of the Director the lack of the signature concerned:
[Paras. (f) and (g), 53 FR 47810, Nov. 28, 1988, effective Jan. 1, 1989; para. (a) amended, 60 FR 21438, May 2, 1995, effective June 1, 1995; paras. (b)-(g) revised, 68 FR 58991, Oct. 20, 2003, effective Jan. 1, 2004; para. (a)(2) revised, 68 FR 67805, Dec. 4, 2003, effective Jan. 1, 2004]
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