International Trademark UAE | Register Your Brand Globally

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International trademark registration (Madrid Protocol)

This service enables holders registered in the Ministry to deposit electronically to request the registration of an international trademark by Madrid, where when a single request and payment of a single set of fees, you can obtain the protection in more than 125 States, and this system facilitates the modification of the wallet of the global trademark or its renewal or expansion through a single central system, Once the Ministry receives the request electronically via the link, the Ministry endorsed the request and sends it to the WIPO directly to give it to the States to be registered therein. 

How Madrid Protocol filing works from the UAE

The UAE joined the Madrid Protocol in December 2021. A UAE-based applicant first files or holds a national mark with MoET, then files one international application through MoET designating any of the 130+ member countries. WIPO records it and each designated office examines it under its own law, usually within 12–18 months. Fees are the WIPO basic fee plus a per-country fee, payable in Swiss francs. See trademark registration in the UAE for the base application and the UAE Trademark Law on international marks. Ask us for a country-by-country estimate.

Madrid Protocol filing from the UAE, step by step

1. Base mark. Hold a UAE application or registration for the same mark and goods.
2. Designate countries. Choose from 130+ members – the EU (one designation covers all member states), UK, USA, China, India, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and others.
3. File through MoET. The international application is submitted via MoET as office of origin, which certifies it and forwards it to WIPO.
4. WIPO formalities. WIPO checks the application, records it in the International Register and publishes it in the WIPO Gazette.
5. National examination. Each designated office examines under its own law within 12 or 18 months and may issue a provisional refusal, answered locally.
6. Protection. Ten years from the international registration date, renewed centrally at WIPO for all countries at once.

Fees

WIPO charges a basic fee (higher for marks in colour) plus a fee per designated country, all in Swiss francs; some countries charge individual fees. MoET charges a handling fee for certifying the application. Budget roughly CHF 650–900 for the basic fee plus CHF 100–1,000 per country depending on the country and number of classes – ask us for an exact estimate for your country list.

Dependence on the UAE mark

For five years the international registration depends on the UAE base mark: if the UAE mark is refused or cancelled, the international registration falls with it (it can be converted into national applications). This is why the UAE filing should be clean and, ideally, registered before extending.

Madrid vs. direct national filings

	Madrid Protocol	Direct national filing
Countries	Members only – note that several GCC states are not members, so Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia may need direct filings (check current membership)	Any country
Cost	Lower for 3+ countries	Local agent fee per country
Management	One renewal, one recordal for all	Separate everywhere
Risk	Central attack via the base mark for 5 years	Independent

We prepare the international application, handle the MoET certification and coordinate responses to provisional refusals through our foreign associates. Request a country-by-country estimate. See also the UAE Trademark Law on international marks.