Costa Rica became party of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) since August 3 1999. Our Department of Patents has wide experience in the preparation and filling of international applications under PCT and entering in the national phase under PCT Chapters I and II.
The lawyers in charge of their preparation and filing have a constant training and communication with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the Costa Rican Patent Office. We have adopted the most advanced software designed to facilitate the preparation of PCT international applications in electronic form as the PCT-EASY (Electronic Application System) and the PCT-SAFE (Secure Applications Filed Electronically).
It is important to inform that Costa Rican Patent Office has fixed a 31 months time limit for entering in national phase under PCT Chapter I (article 22) and Chapter II (article 39).
Another important aspect of keeping in mind is that if the applicant is a natural person and is a national of and resides in Costa Rica is entitled, in accordance with the Schedule of Fees annexed to the PCT Regulations, to a reduction of 75% of certain fees including the international fee (basic fee and designation fees). However, an applicant who qualifies for the 75% reduction in the international fee will not have to pay the transmittal fee in respect of an international application filed with the International Bureau as receiving Office. If there are several applicants, each must satisfy the above-mentioned criteria. The reduction of those fees will be automatically available to any applicant (or applicants) who is (or are) so entitled on the basis of the indications of name, nationality and residence given in the request. The fee reduction will be available even if one or more of the applicants are not from PCT Contracting States, provided that each of them satisfies the above-mentioned criteria and that at least one of them is a national or resident of a PCT Contracting State and thus is entitled to file an international application.

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