The Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IPVN) has just informed that its representative office in Ho Chi Minh city has started directly receiving paper applications as normal from 18 October 2021 – according to Notice No. 9557/TB-SHTT dated 15 October 2021. Under its previous Notice, the representative office stopped directly receiving paper applications from 31 May 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.
Over the past time, Ho Chi Minh city has actively and effectively implemented various anti-Covid-19 measures, and as a result, the primary operation of the office in Ho Chi Minh city has been resumed. So far, all offices of the IPVN, including the headquarter in Hanoi and the two representative offices in Da Nang city and Ho Chi Minh city, have returned to normal operations.
By Nguyen Huyen Trang
Patent Department – INVESTIP IP LAW FIRM
