¶ 2.23    Foreign Filing More Than 12 Months Earlier, No Petition to Restore Priority Granted

Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d)  or (f), 365(a) or (b), or 386(a)  based upon an application filed in [1] on [2]. The claim for priority cannot be based on said application, because the subsequent nonprovisional or international application designating the United States was filed more than twelve months thereafter and no petition under 37 CFR 1.55  or request under PCT Rule 26bis.3  to restore the right of priority has been granted.

Applicant may wish to file a petition under 37 CFR 1.55(c)  to restore the right of priority if the subsequent application was filed within two months from the expiration of the twelve-month period and the delay was unintentional. A petition to restore the right of priority must include: (1) the priority claim under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d)  or (f), 365(a) or (b), or 386(a)  in an application data sheet, identifying the foreign application to which priority is claimed, by specifying the application number, country (or intellectual property authority), day, month, and year of its filing (unless previously submitted); (2) the petition fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(m); and (3) a statement that the delay in filing the subsequent application within the twelve-month period was unintentional. The petition to restore the right of priority must be filed in the subsequent application, or in the earliest nonprovisional application claiming benefit under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c)  to the subsequent application, if such subsequent application is not a nonprovisional application. The Director may require additional information where there is a question whether the delay was unintentional. The petition should be addressed to: Mail Stop Petition, Commissioner for Patents, P.O. Box 1450, Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450.

Examiner Note:

1. Use this form paragraph only for original applications filed under 35 U.S.C. 111(a)  on or after November 29, 2000 and for national stage applications under 35 U.S.C. 371. DO NOT use for design applications.

2. In bracket 1, insert the country name.

3. In bracket 2, insert the filing date of the foreign application.