Trademark Application Allotment
Once the Trademark registration application is filed with the Trademark Registrar, a trademark application allotment number is provided within one or two working days. on obtaining trademark application allotment number, the owner of the trademark can affix the TM symbol next to the logo.
If the trademark registration application is objected by the Trademark Officer, the trademark applicant has the right to appear before the Trademark Officer and address the objections. If the Trademark Officer is satisfied with the justifications of the trademark applicant, the trademark would be allowed for trademark journal publication. In case the Trademark Officer is not satisfied with the justifications, the trademark applicant has the right to appeal the decision of the Trademark Officer before the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
Trademark Journal Publication
Once the trademark registration application is accepted by the Trademark Registrar, the proposed trademark is published in the Trademark Journal. The trademark journal is published weekly and contains all the trademarks that have been accepted by the Trademark Registrar. Once the trademark is published in the trademark journal, the public have an opportunity to object the trademark registration, if they believe they will be damaged by that registration. If there are no objections filed within 90 days of that publication, the mark will typically be registered within 12 weeks – months time.
If the trademark registration application is opposed by a third-party, hearing will be called for by the Trademark Hearing Officer. Both the trademark applicant and the opposing party have the chance to appear at the hearing and provide justifications for registration or rejection of the trademark application. Based on the hearings and the evidence presented, the Trademark Hearing Officer will determine if the trademark registration application should be accepted or rejected. The decision of the Trademark Hearing Officer can also be challenged by escalating to the Intellectual Property Appellate Board.
Trademark Registration
Once there are no objections or oppositions for the trademark registration application, the trademark manuscript and trademark registration certificate will be prepared and sent to the trademark application. Once the trademark registration certificate is issued, the trademark is considered to be a registered trademark of the owner, granting the trademark owner exclusive use of the mark.
