United States Code/Title 35/Chapter 37/Section 373

'''Section 373. Improper applicant'''

An international application designating the United States, shall not be accepted by the Patent and Trademark Office for the national stage if it was filed by anyone not qualified under chapter 11 of this title to be an applicant for the purpose of filing a national application in the United States. Such international applications shall not serve as the basis for the benefit of an earlier filing date under of this title in a subsequently filed application, but may serve as the basis for a claim of the right of priority under subsections (a) through (d) of  of this title, if the United States was not the sole country designated in such international application.

Source
(Added Pub. L. 94-131, Sec. 1, Nov. 14, 1975, 89 Stat. 689; amended Pub. L. 98-622, title IV, Sec. 403(a), Nov. 8, 1984, 98 Stat. 3392; Pub. L. 103-465, title V, Sec. 532(c)(5), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4987.)

1994
Pub. L. 103-465 substituted “subsections (a) through (d) of section 119” for “section 119”.

Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 103-465 effective 6 months after Dec. 8, 1994, and applicable to all patent applications filed in the United States on or after that effective date, with provisions relating to earliest filed patent application, see section 534(b)(1), (3) of Pub. L. 103-465, set out as a note under section 154 of this title.

1984
Pub. L. 98-622 substituted “Patent and Trademark Office” for “Patent Office”.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by 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.