CNIPA's answers for foreign trademark owners

An enterprise of Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan with no place of business in the mainland must appoint a lawfully established trademark agency to apply for registration and handle other trademark matters in the mainland. Note: a wholly owned branch company such an enterprise lawfully sets up in the mainland is a mainland enterprise, not its place of business in the mainland.

It can appoint an agency on file with CNIPA to handle the application.

It must appoint an agency to handle trademark matters.

A domestic agency must be appointed to respond.

An agency must be appointed.

Note: a foreigner or foreign company filing an opposition must appoint a trademark agency on file with the Trademark Office, except a foreigner or foreign company with a habitual residence or place of business in China. Opposition applicants from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan are handled in the same way as foreign applicants.

The address of the domestic recipient a foreign applicant designates is not the applicant's own correspondence address. It need not be an agency's address.

No.

A change of document recipient can be filed. The application must not fill in a new agency.

The trademark website does not show the domestic recipient's address. Once a change of domestic recipient is approved, a certificate of change is issued.

An application to change the document recipient can be filed with the Trademark Office.

For a paper opposition, the response notice is mailed on paper to the agency. For an electronic opposition, the response notice is mailed on paper to the domestic recipient, and a copy is sent electronically to the agency on the registration application.

Where the applicant (here, the mark's owner) is an entity from abroad, Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan, the non-use decision is mailed on paper to the domestic recipient. Where the applicant is domestic, it is mailed on paper to the applicant's address.

It must be filled in.

Changing a trademark agency only means changing the agency on a registration application after it is filed. Once the mark is registered, applying to change the agency no longer has any purpose. To receive documents for a Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan or foreign registrant in cases brought against the mark later (such as non-use cancellation, cancellation of a mark that has become a generic name, or invalidation), apply to change the document recipient.

To change the agency in a case such as non-use cancellation, opposition, review of a decision not to register, refusal review or invalidation, the change of agency must be filed directly with the department hearing that case.

File a correction application.

In that situation, file a change application.

A foreign company or foreigner that only needs to change its Chinese translated name must provide its own statement applying to change that name.

A change application can be filed to change the Chinese translation.

A change of applicant or registrant address does not require a change certificate.

First file a change application, attaching the signed identity documents from before and after the change, and then file the renewal application. The change and the renewal can be filed at the same time.

The new and old documents can be submitted together, with a written explanation.

A police station or notary office issues proof that this is the same applicant.

Provide proof of moving out and moving in, and file a change application.

Change applications must be filed for all of them together.

1. Follow the information on the registration certificate. 2. Submit a copy of the original and a Chinese translation. 3. The same as the information on the registration certificate.

A copy of the applicant's identity document, confirmed by seal or signature (such as a company's business license, or an individual's ID card, Hong Kong or Macao residence permit, Taiwan residence permit or passport), which must match the proof of status submitted with the registration application.

A change application must be filed. It can be filed together with the assignment application.