Question 1

What forms are required to file a patent in India?

Accepted Answer

The core forms for Indian patent filing are: Form 1 (Application for Grant of Patent), Form 2 (Provisional or Complete Specification), Form 5 (Declaration as to Inventorship), Form 9 (Request for Publication), and Form 18 (Request for Examination). For PCT national phase entry in India, you additionally need Form 1A and Form 2A. PatentLab's Filing Assistant auto-generates and pre-fills all these forms.

Question 2

What is the difference between provisional and complete specification in India?

Accepted Answer

A provisional specification is a brief description filed to secure a priority date — it does not need full claims. It gives you 12 months to file a complete specification with full claims, detailed description, drawings, and abstract. Filing provisionally is cheaper and buys time to refine the invention. PatentLab's AI drafts both provisional and complete specifications from your invention description.

Question 3

How long does patent examination take in India?

Accepted Answer

After filing a Request for Examination (Form 18), the Indian Patent Office typically issues a First Examination Report (FER) within 12–24 months. You then have 6 months (extendable to 9 months on request) to respond. Total grant timelines range from 3–6 years, though expedited examination is available for startups, women inventors, MSMEs, and government applicants at reduced fees.

Question 4

What are the official patent filing fees in India for 2026?

Accepted Answer

Official Indian patent filing fees vary by applicant type. For individuals/startups: Form 1 = ₹1,600 (online) or ₹2,000 (physical); Form 18 = ₹4,000 (online). For large entities: Form 1 = ₹8,000; Form 18 = ₹20,000. Fees increase with the number of claims (above 10) and pages (above 30). PatentLab automatically calculates exact fees based on your applicant type, claim count, and page count.

Question 5

Can PatentLab help with PCT national phase entry in India?

Accepted Answer

Yes. PatentLab's Filing Assistant has a dedicated PCT National Phase India workflow. It tracks your 30-month deadline from the international filing date, auto-fills Form 1 (PCT), calculates national phase fees, and generates the complete specification in Indian format. It also handles submission of verified English translations if your international application was filed in another language.

Question 6

What is Form 13 in Indian patent filing?

Accepted Answer

Form 13 is the 'Request for Amendment' form filed to amend a patent specification or claims after the application has been filed. It is commonly used to amend claims in response to FER objections. Amendments must not broaden the scope of original claims and must be supported by the original disclosure. PatentLab's AI FER Response Drafter automatically drafts proposed claim amendments in Form 13 format.