UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

• Filing Requirements:

1- A power of attorney duly legalized up to the Consulate of the United Arab Emirates.

2- A list of goods/services to be covered by the application.

3- Full Name and address of the applicant

4- Eighteen prints of the mark to be registered

5- A certified copy of the priority application, if priority is claimed.

Search results need 7-10 working days to be issued.

Official Trademark Office search covers word marks only.

• Time Frame:

The approximate time frame for completing the registration process of a trademark application in the United Arab Emirates is 9-12 months, in the normal course..

• Validity:

A trademark registration is valid for ten years from the filing date.

 • Notes:

As of 1st April 2014, the UAE Trademark Office will not accept any new filings without submitting the original Power of Attorney sufficing the local attestation requirements including local attestation of UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Same regulations will apply for the opposition procedures, knowing that all opposition must be filed within 30 days from the publication date.  This will apply as well to any applications with a priority claim with an imminent deadline or opposition’s cases with deadlines. However, all other actions such as recordal of change of name, address and assignment and renewal can be filed and official fees thereof can be paid without submitting the original Power of Attorney sufficing the local attestation requirements including local attestation of UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs whilst any of these actions will not be processed until the submission of the power of attorney executed as required.

- Please be informed that the UAE Trademarks Registrar has adopted a new practice in regard to the supporting documents of any IP related matter, whereby the required documents should be translated into Arabic  by a sworn local translator. Since most of applicants are approving and signing only the English version of the power of attorney the same should be translated and produced by a sworn translator on the letter head of the sworn translation office.  It should be noted that any text in any other language with or with no Arabic equivalent in the power of attorney such as the notarial certificate should be also translated into Arabic. Please note that the cost of translation is US$50.00 per page and a copy of the approved translations of any documents shall be dispatched to you for your reference. 

In the same context, It has to be noted that, Powers of attorney legalized at the UAE Consulates abroad must be super legalized at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The cost of this local attestation is US$180.00 in case it bears consular stamps of 1000 or 2000 AE; however, if the document bears consular stamps of 100 or 200 AE, the cost of local attestation will be US$ 750.00.  

As from January 1, 2007 service marks can be registered in the United Arab Emirates in accordance with the 10th edition of the Nice Classification.

A separate application is to be filed for each class of goods.

In the United Arab Emirates, a trademark will become vulnerable to a revocation action on the ground of non-use if the mark has not been used in the United Arab Emirates within five consecutive years from the registration date.

• Renewal Requirements:

1- A power of attorney duly legalized up to the Consulate of the United Arab Emirates.

2- Copy of the final registration certificate or last renewal certificate.

• Requirements for Recordal of Change of name/address/legal status:

1. A Power of Attorney in the new name and/or address Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the UAE Consulate.

2. A certificate of change of name and/or address Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the UAE Consulate.

3. A simple copy by email or fax copy of the registration certificate of the mark.

• Requirements for Recordal of assignment, merger, or license:

1. A Power of Attorney executed by the assignee and Duly Notarized & Legalized up to the Consulate of the United Arab Emirates.

2. A deed of assignment executed by both parties duly legalized up to the Consulate of the United Arab Emirates.

3. A simple copy by email or fax copy of the registration certificate of the mark. 

• Requirements for Recordal of license:

1. A Power of Attorney in the name of the licensee Duly Ntarized & Legalized up to a UAE Consulate abroad.

2. A copy of the license agreement executed by both parties Duly Notarized & Legalized up to a UAE Consulate abroad

3. A simple copy of the registration certificate of the mark. (If the same is not in our office).

• Notes:

The agent for service is the only party that has the right to take actions in respect of a trademark; thus, the change of agent name and address is automatically recorded while providing a POA for the service in question.