How to Register a Trademark Internationally: A Step-by-Step Guide
JASAMEREK.COM – Expanding your business overseas? Registering your trademark in Indonesia alone is not enough to protect your brand in other countries. Trademark rights are territorial, meaning protection only applies in the jurisdictions where your trademark is registered.
To secure your brand internationally, you’ll need to apply for trademark protection in the countries where you plan to operate.
Here’s a complete guide to registering your trademark internationally.
Steps to Register an International Trademark
Obtaining trademark protection abroad differs from filing a trademark application in Indonesia. While the process is more comprehensive, it has become significantly easier through the Madrid Protocol, which streamlines international trademark registration.
Follow these steps to protect your trademark overseas.
1. Register Your Trademark in Indonesia First
Before applying for international trademark protection, you must first have a trademark application or registration in Indonesia.
Indonesia is a member of the Madrid Protocol, an international trademark registration system administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
The Madrid Protocol allows trademark owners to seek protection in multiple member countries through a single international application filed via their home country’s intellectual property office.
In Indonesia, this process begins with the Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI).
Therefore, your first step is to obtain proof that your trademark has been filed or registered with the DJKI.
2. Prepare the Required Documents
International trademark applications require additional documentation beyond a standard domestic filing.
In addition to proof of your Indonesian trademark application or registration, you’ll need to complete the required international application forms.
Fortunately, the DJKI provides official application forms and guidance to simplify the process.
Before applying, make sure you have:
- Applicant identification documents
- Proof of your Indonesian trademark application or registration
- Completed international application forms
- Any additional supporting documents required for your chosen countries
3. Select the Countries Where You Want Protection
Next, determine the countries in which you want your trademark protected.
The countries you choose affect:
- The required application forms
- The applicable filing fees
- The examination procedures
Some documentation requirements may vary depending on the jurisdiction.
For example, certain forms differ depending on whether protection is sought in European countries or the United States.
Because each country has its own trademark laws and official fees, it’s important to identify your target markets before filing your international application.
4. Conduct a Trademark Search
Before filing internationally, perform a trademark search in every country where you plan to seek protection.
Even if your trademark is available and registered in Indonesia, it may already belong to someone else in another jurisdiction.
A trademark search helps you identify:
- Identical trademarks
- Similar trademarks
- Potential conflicts that could result in refusal
Trademark availability varies significantly from country to country.
For this reason, searching only in Indonesia is not sufficient if you intend to expand internationally.
It’s also wise to research whether your chosen brand name has an unintended meaning or negative connotation in the local language of your target market.
Ideally, your trademark should be available both in Indonesia and in every country where you intend to do business.
5. Prepare the Registration Fees
International trademark registration involves official government fees that vary depending on:
- The designated countries
- The number of trademark classes
- Individual country fees
The DJKI provides an online fee calculator that can help estimate the expected filing costs.
Even if you haven’t submitted your application yet, preparing your budget in advance is highly recommended.
Doing so helps prevent delays, especially since certain Madrid Protocol procedures are subject to specific deadlines.
6. Submit Your Application Through the Madrid Protocol System
Once everything is ready, you can submit your international trademark application through the DJKI’s online trademark filing system.
Simply access the Madrid Protocol section of the trademark portal and complete the application using the instructions provided.
After submission:
- DJKI reviews and verifies your application.
- If approved, DJKI certifies the application and forwards it to WIPO.
- WIPO conducts a formal examination.
- WIPO then transmits your application to the trademark offices of your designated countries.
- Each national trademark office performs its own substantive examination under its domestic laws.
- Each country independently decides whether to grant trademark protection.
Throughout the process, you’ll be able to monitor updates through the trademark filing system.
Start with the First Step
International trademark registration begins with one essential requirement: establishing trademark rights in Indonesia.
If you haven’t registered your trademark yet, now is the perfect time to start.
With Jasa Merek, you can receive professional assistance throughout the entire process—from trademark searches and Indonesian trademark registration to international applications under the Madrid Protocol.
Protect your brand wherever your business grows, and build your global presence with confidence.
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