Question 1

What is a PCT patent application?

Accepted Answer

The Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) is an international filing system administered by WIPO. A single PCT application filed within 12 months of your priority date buys you an additional 18 months (30 total) to decide which countries to validate in. It is NOT a worldwide patent — you still have to file and prosecute in each country individually during the national phase.

Question 2

Is a PCT application cheaper than direct national filings?

Accepted Answer

For 3+ target countries, almost always yes. PCT lets you defer the country-selection decision (and the bulk of the per-country cost) for 30 months, so you only pay national-phase costs in countries where you actually have revenue. Direct national filings require you to commit at the 12-month Paris priority deadline.

Question 3

How much does it cost to validate a PCT in 4-5 countries?

Accepted Answer

Roughly $80,000-$200,000 all-in through 20-year maintenance, depending on the countries chosen and the translation burden. Translation alone can add $20,000-$40,000 if the priority countries include China, Japan, and Korea. Verify current costs with a patent attorney before committing.

Question 4

What is the 30-month national phase entry deadline?

Accepted Answer

If you file a PCT application, you have 30 months from the priority date to enter individual countries. This is a hard deadline — miss it for any specific country and you lose the right to file there forever. The 30-month window is the entire point of PCT: it gives you ~18 extra months (after the 12-month Paris priority year) to validate only the countries that matter.

Question 5

Is there a grace period for foreign patent filings?

Accepted Answer

No. The US is unusual in offering a 12-month grace period for public disclosures before filing. Almost every other country (Europe, China, Japan, Korea) requires you to file BEFORE any public disclosure — including conference talks, blog posts, and pre-orders. This is the most common international-filing mistake.

Jurisdiction	Stage	Cost
PCT	PCT filing + search	$12,000
Translation	PCT international phase translation	$5,000
EP	National phase entry	$18,000
EP	Translation	$6,000
EP	20-yr maintenance	$12,000
CN	National phase entry	$15,000
CN	Translation	$8,000
CN	20-yr maintenance	$9,000
JP	National phase entry	$14,000
JP	Translation	$7,000
JP	20-yr maintenance	$10,000

Where should you file internationally?