The Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IPVN) has just informed that it has started directly receiving paper applications as normal from 23 June 2021 – according to Notice No. 5847/TB-SHTT dated 23 June 2021. Under its previous Notice, the IPVN stopped directly receiving paper applications from 27 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 IPVN has performed such activities via phone or e-mail.
The fourth and biggest Covid-19 wave in Vietnam has begun since the end of this April. At the beginning, a number of cities/provinces in Northern Vietnam, including the capital Hanoi where the main office of the IPVN is located, had many Covid-19 cases. The number of cases has significantly decreased and the head office is basically back to normal work as mentioned above.
On the contrary, Southern Vietnam, including Ho Chi Minh city, is recording many Covid-19 cases. The representative office of the IPVN at Ho Chi Minh city stopped directly receiving paper applications from 31 May 2021 and this situation remains unchanged.
In addition to the main office and said representative office, the IPVN has also a representative office in Da Nang city, located in Central Vietnam, which has operated normally so far.
Nguyen Huyen Trang
Patent Department – INVESTIP IP LAW FIRM
