United States Code/Title 35/Chapter 36/Section 361

'''Section 361. Receiving Office'''

(a) The Patent and Trademark Office shall act as a Receiving Office for international applications filed by nationals or residents of the United States. In accordance with any agreement made between the United States and another country, the Patent and Trademark Office may also act as a Receiving Office for international applications filed by residents or nationals of such country who are entitled to file international applications.

(b) The Patent and Trademark Office shall perform all acts connected with the discharge of duties required of a Receiving Office, including the collection of international fees and their transmittal to the International Bureau.

(c) International applications filed in the Patent and Trademark Office shall be in the English language.

(d) The international fee, and the transmittal and search fees prescribed under of this part, shall either be paid on filing of an international application or within such later time as may be fixed by the Director.

Source
(Added Pub. L. 94-131, Sec. 1, Nov. 14, 1975, 89 Stat. 686; amended Pub. L. 98-622, title IV, Secs. 401(a), 403(a), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3391, 3392; Pub. L. 99-616, Sec. 2(d), Nov. 6, 1986, 100 Stat. 3485; Pub. L. 106-113, div. B, Sec. 1000(a)(9) [title IV, Sec. 4732(a)(10)(A)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A-582; Pub. L. 107-273, div. C, title III, Sec. 13206(b)(1)(B), Nov. 2, 2002, 116 Stat. 1906.)

2002
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 107-273 made technical correction to directory language of Pub. L. 106-113. See 1999 Amendment note below.

1999
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 106-113, as amended by Pub. L. 107-273, substituted “Director” for “Commissioner”.

Effective Date of 1999 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 106-113 effective 4 months after Nov. 29, 1999, see section 1000(a)(9) [title IV, Sec. 4731] of Pub. L. 106-113, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.

1986
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99-616 amended subsec. (d) generally. Prior to amendment, subsec. (d) read as follows: “The basic fee portion of the international fee, and the transmittal and search fees prescribed under section 376(a) of this part, shall be paid on filing of an international application or within one month after the date of such filing. Payment of designation fees may be made on filing and shall be made not later than one year from the priority date of the international application.”

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 99-616 effective July 1, 1987, and applicable to all international applications pending before or after that date, see section 9 of Pub. L. 99-616, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.

1984
Subsecs. (a) to (c). Pub. L. 98-622, Sec. 403(a), substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 98-622, Sec. 401(a), inserted “or within one month after the date of such filing” after “application”.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by section 401(a) of Pub. L. 98-622 effective six months after Nov. 8, 1984, see section 406(b) of Pub. L. 98-622, set out as a note under section 3 of this title.

Amendment by section 403(a) of Pub. L. 98-622 effective Nov. 8, 1984, see section 406(a) of Pub. L. 98-622, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.

Effective Date
Chapter effective Jan. 24, 1978, and applicable to international and national applications filed on and after that date, see section 11 of Pub. L. 94-131, set out as a note under section 351 of this title.