The Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IPVN) has just informed that its representative office in Da Nang city has started directly receiving paper applications as normal from 30 September 2021 – according to Notice No. 8895/TB-SHTT dated 30 September 2021. Under its previous Notice, the representative office stopped directly receiving paper applications from 22 July 2021 due to Covid-19 pandemic – applications are to be filed online or via post services.
Also, other documents like responses to office actions can now be filed directly. However, intellectual property consultant activities remain unchanged – the office has performed such activities via phone or e-mail.
Da Nang city has gradually relaxed social distancing measures, and as a result, the primary operation of the office has been resumed. Recently, the IPVN headquarter in Hanoi has also started directly receiving applications as normal since 21 September 2021.
Hopefully, a similar notification for the representative office in Ho Chi Minh city will be issued in the near future. In addition to the headquarter in Hanoi, the IPVN has said two representative offices.
By Nguyen Huyen Trang
Patent Department – INVESTIP IP LAW FIRM
