General Information
Capital: Kuwait City
Location: Asia [North: Iraq | East: Persian Gulf | West: Saudi Arabia | South: Iraq & Saudi Arabia]
Area: 17,820 Sq Km
GMT: + 3
Currency: 1 U.S. $= 0.29 Kuwaiti Dinar (January 2011)
Population: 2,691,158 includes 1,291,354 Non-Nationals (July 2009)
Climate: Dry | Hot Summers | Short Cool Winters
Languages: Arabic (Official) | English(Widely Spoken)
GDP: Purchasing Power Parity: $149.5 billion (2008)
Exports: Oil, Refined Products and Fertilizers
Imports: Food, Construction Materials, Vehicles & Parts and Clothing
Filing Requirements
KUWAIT
• Filing Requirements:
A power of attorney legalized up to the Consulate of Kuwait.
The full name, address, nationality and profession of the applicant.
Class, list of goods/services to be filed.
Twelve prints of the trademark for each class (preferably not exceeding 5x5 centimeters each). Additional publication charges are to be paid for a large size print. The prints can be prepared locally upon request. The prints should be in exact conformity with the form of the mark shown on the basic certificate of registration.
N.B.
Please be advised that as per the relevant provisions of the Implementing regulations of the Kuwaiti Trademarks Law a simple copy of home registration certificate of the mark is one of the must requirements; however, it is now since three years the Kuwaiti Trademarks Registrar is not strict in applying such a requirements and we are registering trademarks in Kuwait without the submission of the aforesaid documents. Accordingly, we can file the required trademark applications without simple copies of the home registration certificates of the marks which, if requested, can be filed lately at any time stipulated as such by the Kuwaiti Trademarks Registrar.
• Time Frame:
The approximate time frame for completing the registration process of a trademark in Kuwait is from 12 – 14 months.
• Validity:
A trademark registration is valid for ten years from the date of filing the application.
• Notes:
Claiming priority is not possible in Kuwait.
Services marks may be registered according to the 8Th edition of the Nice Classification
A separate application is to be filed for each class of goods/services.
Power of attorney can be filed later without any additional cost.
Once a trademark (word mark in English Language) is registered, its transliteration is automatically protected.
• Renewal Requirements:
1- A power of attorney legalized up to the Consulate of Kuwait.
2- Copy of the final registration certificate or last renewal certificate.
• Notes:
The validity of the trademark registration in Kuwait is ten years as from the filing date. Thereafter, a trademark registration is renewable for further consecutive periods of ten years each.
The renewal fees of a trademark registration can be paid during the last 12 months of the current protection period. There is a 6 months grace period within which a late renewal application can be filed, but such a late renewal application is subject to the payment of additional fees.
• Requirements for Recordal of Change of name/address/legal status:
Original Duly Notarized & Legalized POA upto Kuwaiti Consulate
Scanned copy Notarized & Legalized Extract from Commercial register.
Scanned copy of the Arabic translation of the Extract from Commercial register.