Any country or a contracting state can file an international application for residents of the PCT. International applications can in most cases be filed with the national Office, which will serve as the receiving Office of the PCT. In addition, the International Bureau may serve as the receiving office of choice for nationals and residents of all PCT Contracting States.
An international application is effective as of the international filing date in those PCT contracting countries where the applicant applied in the patent-designated country of the country of application. This has the effect of regional patent applications in those PCT contracting states which are party to the Regional Patent Treaty, thereby specifying regional patents for them.
Certain standards for international applications stipulated in the Patent Cooperation Treaty. International applications are acceptable when prepared in accordance with these standards, provided that subsequent amendments (and the fees associated therewith) will become necessary because of different national or regional requirements. No national law may be required to provide for international applications with regard to form or content or appendix to those provided for by the PCT.
There is only one set of fees if the preparation and application of an international application occur and they are payable in one currency and in one office. Payment of state fees to designated offices is delayed. The fees that countries should pay are much later than for filling the traditional Paris Convention route
The fees paid by the receiving Office for international applications include three main elements
-Transmission fee to cover the reception work of the Office
-Search fees to cover the work of the International Searching Authority
-International fees, including the work of the International Bureau