Foreign companies seeking patent and design protection in Georgia register through Sakpatenti — the National Intellectual Property Center of Georgia — under a procedure that is accessible to non-resident applicants and does not require a locally incorporated entity. Georgia is a member of the Paris Convention and the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT), meaning international applications can designate Georgia, and priority claims from earlier foreign filings are recognised. The registration process and substantive requirements differ between patents and industrial designs, so the two tracks are outlined separately below.
For patent protection, the applicant files a request with Sakpatenti in Georgian, accompanied by a full technical description, claims, an abstract, and drawings where applicable. A formalities examination confirms that the application is complete; a substantive examination then assesses novelty, inventive step, and industrial applicability. Examination typically takes between twelve and twenty-four months for a full patent, depending on the complexity of the technology field. Once granted, a Georgian patent has a maximum term of twenty years from the filing date.
Industrial design protection follows a shorter path. A design application must contain a pictorial or graphic representation of the design and a brief description. Sakpatenti conducts a formal examination only — there is no substantive examination of novelty at the registration stage — and registration is typically completed within six to eight months. Protection lasts for ten years from the filing date, with the possibility of extensions up to twenty-five years in total.
In both procedures, foreign applicants who do not hold a Georgian address of record are required to appoint a locally accredited patent representative. This representative receives official correspondence, submits documents, and manages responses to any official actions. Selecting a qualified representative is the first practical decision for any foreign applicant, and it should be made before a filing date is settled, to avoid losing priority.
Maintenance of both patents and registered designs requires payment of annual fees. Failure to pay within the prescribed period results in lapse of the right. Reinstatement is possible under Georgian law within a defined period after lapse, but it is a contingency that capable applicants will wish to avoid.
For foreign companies with existing Russian, Eurasian, or other CIS-region IP portfolios, the Georgian registration process sits outside the Eurasian Patent Organisation (EAPO) framework — Georgia is not a member — so a separate national filing or a PCT designation is the operative route.
[CTA: If you are assessing patent or design registration in Georgia as part of a broader regional IP or market-entry strategy, make an enquiry: info@vetrovpartners.com | WhatsApp/Telegram: +7 (983) 510-38-76]
— Nino Beridze Contributing Regional Analyst — Georgia, Business Relocation & Tax Structuring, Vetrov & Partners vetrovpartners.com/contributions/
Nino Beridze is a contributing regional analyst advising on business relocation and regulatory matters in Georgia. She collaborates with Vetrov & Partners on cross-border mandates for clients with concurrent interests in Russia and the South Caucasus.
This publication is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice under Russian or any other applicable law. The information herein should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal counsel tailored to your specific circumstances. Vetrov & Partners is a Russian-qualified law firm. For matters governed by foreign law or requiring local admission in another jurisdiction, we collaborate with trusted counsel in the relevant jurisdiction. For advice regarding your particular situation, please contact info@vetrovpartners.com.