Singapore (SG)

Registrations of United Kingdom (GB) patents remain in force as long as the GB patent, or a European patent designating the United Kingdom (EP(GB)), remains in force.

20/10/2004 UPDATE: Available for patents granted on applications filed after 01/07/2004 but only on three grounds: delays by the Singapore Patent Office, delays by a foreign patent office in processing and granting a corresponding application and delays related to regulatory approval of pharmaceutical products. In certain cases the maximum limit of 5 years extension applies..

PCT regulations have been amended and now allow national or regional phase entry to be delayed until 30 months from the earliest priority date. Singapore has not yet indicated when this change will be made to its legislation.

28/02/2004 UPDATE:  The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore has withdrawn its notification of the incompatibility of its national law with PCT Article 22(1) from 01/01/2004. The amended 30 month time limit under PCT Articles 22(1) will apply, from 01/01/2004, for international applications for which the 20-month time limit expires on, or after, 01/01/2004. This also applies with respect to PCT Article 22(1). The Intellectual Property Office of Singapore has also withdrawn notification of incompatibility of it national law with PCT Articles 51bis.1(e) (concerning the furnishing of a translation of the priority document) effective 01/08/2003.

The Patents Amendment Act 1995 (No.40 of 18/11/1995) and the Patent (Amendment) Rules 1995 (No. S583 of 26/12/1995) entered into force 01/01/1996. The Singapore Patent Rules 1995 were further amended with effect from 01/04/1998 and again from 20/12/1999. Alteration is made to some time periods, and deadlines, giving applicants more time to comply with certain requirements. Some examples to the provisions to which the alterations apply are: 

- the filing of the priority document(s)/translation(s); 

- the filing of a request for a search and examination report; 

- the filing of the applicants' response to the written opinion issued by the Examiner;

 - the filing of the applicant's request for the Certificate of Grant.

20/10/2004 UPDATE: The Singapore Patents Act has been amended effective from 1st July 2004. A patent application may follow the fast track by default or the slow track on request. With the fast track the grant fee must be paid within 42 months while with the slow track the payment of the grant fee is due by 60 months. Publication is automatic at 18 months.

Conditions for further granting examination after fee payment:

1. There must be an unresolved objection to unity of invention
2. Each claim must be related to a claim that has been examined or that is in the corresponding application/corresponding international application and has been examined.
3. There must be no double patenting.