Trademark Registration Questions

In an uncontested filing: EU and UK about 4-6 months, China 7-9 months, United States 8-10 months, Japan and Korea 6-12 months, Canada and Australia 7-18 months, and a Madrid designation 12-18 months. Those numbers assume no refusal and no opposition.

A clean clearance search, a specification written in the office's accepted terms, correct filing basis, and a specimen that genuinely shows the mark on the goods. Almost every delay we see comes from one of those four, not from the office queue.

Yes. Foreign applicants file their own US applications; the only extra requirement is representation by a US-licensed attorney. A US entity is not needed for filing, ownership or enforcement.

No. Trademark rights are territorial. A Chinese registration gives you nothing in the US or the EU, which is why brands selling on Amazon file market by market, or use Madrid to designate the members they need.

If budget allows, both — separately. A word mark protects the name whatever font or colour it appears in, while the device registration protects the specific artwork. Combined filings are cheaper but weaker: if one element is refused, the whole application stalls.

No. An office action is an invitation to respond, usually within six months in the US and two months in the EU. Common fixes are narrowing the goods, disclaiming a non-distinctive element, replacing the specimen, or arguing the confusion analysis.

TM simply signals an asserted claim and can be used on a pending or even unfiled mark. The circled-R symbol is reserved for registered marks; using it before registration can create its own legal exposure in some countries.

In the US, a pending application unlocks limited Brand Registry access; the full tool set arrives with registration. Several other marketplaces require the registration itself before the brand is accepted at all.

Two risks. In the US an unused registration can be cancelled at the maintenance stage, and in China any third party can petition to cancel a mark that has been idle for three consecutive years. Keep dated evidence of sales, packaging and advertising.

Only where the designation has taken effect in that country. Platforms want a right that exists locally, so a pending or refused designation will not support a takedown in that storefront.

Directly descriptive terms are usually refused unless you can prove the mark has acquired distinctiveness through use. The practical route is to add a distinctive element, or file the brand as a whole rather than the descriptive words alone.

Official fees are charged per class and change periodically, and the real spread comes from agent fees and whether an office action or opposition appears. We confirm the current official schedule and give you a written breakdown before anything is filed.