The Covid-19 pandemic has just broken out in Ho Chi Minh city. Notification No. 4869/TB-SHTT for the IPVN’s representative office in Ho Chi Minh city was issued on 31 May 2021 by the IPVN (a similar notification was issued on 25 May 2021 for the IPVN’s head office in the capital Hanoi), accordingly, as from 31 May 2021:

• The representative office does not receive paper applications/documents directly. Applicants/IP agents have to submit the same through postal services.
• Applicants/IP agents may file applications online, and then, send the confirmation note of online submission to the representative office, normally by post, to receive an official filing receipt. Only some kinds of applications can be filed online.
• Communications from the IPVN such as office actions will be sent to applicants/IP agents by postal services.
• Consulting activities on intellectual property in general and on procedures for filing industrial property applications in particular can only be performed through phone or email.

In addition to the head office and said representative office, the IPVN has also a representative office in Da Nang city which is still operating normally.

No matter how strong the pandemic is, we remain focused on supporting our clients during this difficult time by any necessary means.

By Van Thuy Linh and Nguyen Huyen Trang

Patent Department – INVESTIP IP LAW FIRM