How can I apply for a trade mark in other countries once I have obtained a registration for it in Singapore?

Please be informed that trade mark protection is territorial in nature. A separate registration will have to be made in each of the other countries, apart from Singapore, where trade mark protection is desired.

In this regard, the system of international registration of marks under the Madrid Protocol may be utilised. The Madrid Protocol is administered by the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland. Under the Madrid Protocol, a trade mark must first be registered or applied for in the country of origin before filing for an international application. A country of origin is the country that is a party to the Madrid Protocol where the applicant (of the international application) is a resident or national of, or has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in.

In the international application, the applicant can designate the country/countries in which he wishes to seek protection for his trade mark. Only contracting parties to the Madrid Protocol can be designated. You may wish to refer to Part 2.1 of the international application Form MM2 for a list of countries which are party to the Madrid Protocol. Form MM2 can be located here (https://digitalhub.ipos.gov.sg). In other words, the Madrid Protocol allows a trade mark owner to apply for registration of his trade mark in several countries simultaneously by filing one application with the International Bureau, in one language, with one set of fees in one currency (Swiss francs). This process produces the same effect as if an application for the registration of the trade mark has been directly made in each of the countries designated by the applicant.

To file the international application in Singapore, please submit Form MM2 with the prevailing processing fee of SGD$250 via our IPOS Digital Hub platform at https://digitalhub.ipos.gov.sg. The processing fee of S$250 is in addition to the fees payable for the designated countries. For each country designated on the international application, the respective fee payable (in Swiss Francs) will also be displayed within Form MM2, with a computation for the final fee payable. Refer to Part 3.2 "Method of Payment to WIPO" for more information on how to transmit the fees to WIPO. An international registration lasts 10 years. It may be renewed for further periods of 10 years by paying the prescribed fees to WIPO via the country of origin.

If you wish to apply for registration of a trade mark in a country which is not party to the Madrid Protocol, you may wish to consider contacting that country's IP office directly to understand the application process. The applicable fees for the application process are to be paid directly to that country’s IP office. Please also note that the duration of the trade mark registration is determined by that country's IP office.