PCT NATIONAL PHASE ENTRY
Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan has been a member of key international intellectual property agreements since December 25, 1991, including the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). It is also a signatory to the Budapest Treaty, which facilitates the recognition of deposited microorganisms in patent procedures, and the Patent Law Treaty (PLT). Additionally, Kazakhstan is part of the Eurasian Patent Organization (EAPO), further integrating its IP system into the global framework. 

In Kazakhstan, the deadline for entering the PCT national phase is 31 months from the priority date.

International application is prosecuted in the Kazakh or Russian languages. If an international application has been filed in any foreign language, the deadline for provision of the Kazakh or Russian translation of an application is 2 months from the national phase entry date.  

In Kazakhstan, if the 31-month deadline is missed, it can be extended by up to two months. 

Documents required to file national phase application in the said country is:

• Power of Attorney: The Power of Attorney can be submitted either at the time of entering the PCT national phase or within two months of filing the application. Legalization or notarization is not necessary. 

A 20% reduction in the examination fee applies when an international search report or an international preliminary examination report has been issued.

The request for substantive examination, along with the payment of the examination fee, must be submitted to the Kazakhstani patent office within three months of receiving the notification of positive formal examination results. 

Annual renewal fees are due each year, starting from the filing date of the application. The first renewals for a patent starting from the 1st year till the year when the grant decision is issued are paid within 2 months from publication of the patent. All next renewals are counted starting from the filing date and are paid before the beginning of the next year.

In Kazakhstan, the standard validity term for an invention patent is 20 years from the filing date. However, this term can be extended by up to 5 additional years for inventions related to medicinal products or pesticides that require permits from the relevant authorities.  

Kazakhstan ranks 78th among the 133 economies featured in the Global Innovation Index (GII) 2024, marking an improvement from its previous position. Within the group of 34 upper-middle-income economies, it holds the 22nd position. In terms of innovation outputs, Kazakhstan ranks 83rd globally, reflecting a positive trend compared to the previous year. Regionally, Kazakhstan stands 3rd among the 10 economies in Central and Southern Asia, following India and Iran. 

Kazakhstan, the world’s largest landlocked country with rich natural resources, has made significant strides since the 1990s in transitioning toward a market-based economy. While it has achieved upper middle-income status, its heavy reliance on extractive industries like oil, gas, and uranium limits diversification and productivity. With ambitions to double its economy by 2030, Kazakhstan is focusing on reducing state control, boosting competition, and investing in infrastructure, human capital, and green technologies. These reforms present critical opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and the development of a stronger intellectual property ecosystem to support sustainable growth in a post-carbon global economy.