GENERAL COUNTRY INFORMATION
The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the easternmost nation on the Indochina Peninsula and its capital city is Hanoi. Vietnam is home to 90.5 million people and boasts the second fastest growth rate among all countries in East and Southeast Asia. Its gross domestic product is about US$259 billion with a per capita of US$3,100.

 

HIGHLIGHTS

Major international treaties signed	Patent Co-operation Treaty Paris Convention
Costs of obtaining a patent	Please contact us at vietnam@mirandah.com
Average time to obtain a patent	5 - 6 years
Official language for patent prosecution	Vietnamese
Non-patentable subject matter	Discoveries, scientific theories; mathematical formulae Schemes, plans, rules or methods for performing mental acts, playing games, doing business; computer programs Presentations of information Solutions of aesthetic characteristics only Plant varieties, animal varieties Processes of essentially biological nature for the production of plants and animals other than microbiological processes Methods of diagnostic, prophylaxis and treatment for human or animals
Grace period for prior disclosure or sale	Six months before filing date in Vietnam
Major prosecution events	Paris Convention entry :  12 months National phase entry : 31 months Formality Examination  :  1 months from local filing date Substantive Examimation :  42 months Term of examination :  12 months Payment of grant fee  :  At the end of examination Renewals (after grant) :  every year
Extension of deadlines	Only one time for a period of 2 months
Pharmaceutical Data Exclusivity Laws	In force
Parallel Imports	Allowed
Term of patent	20 years from filing date
Patent term extension	Not available
Restoration of lapsed patent	Not Allowed
Search and Examination	The Vietnamese National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) conducts its own Search and Examination, both as to form and as to substance
Other forms of patents	Utility Solution (for minor inventions)
Useful links	www.mirandah.com www.noip.gov.vn

HIGHLIGHTS

Infringement offence	Civil and Criminal (in special cases)
Any specialized courts for IP	No
Outline of the enforcement steps	Cease and Desist Letter File a petition at the local authority to denounce the infringer
Relief against groundless threats	Not available
Declaration of non-infringement	Not available
Preliminary injunctions	Available
Alternative dispute resolution	(i)  Mediation (ii) Arbitration
Availability of damages and other relief for infringement	(i)    Injunction (ii)   Loss of revenue (iii)  Account of profits

Year	Application

	Local	Foreign	Total
1982-1988	461	773	1234
1989	255	232	487
1990	890	592	1482
1991	1747	613	2360
1992	1595	3022	4617
1993	2270	3866	6136
1994	1419	2712	4131
1995	2217	3416	5633
1996	2323	3118	5411
1997	1645	3165	4810
1998	1614	2028	3642
1999	2380	1786	4166
2000	3483	2399	5882