It takes about one year to accomplish the entire application and registration processes. It can take longer than a year if challenges and obstacles should arise.

No. Russian Federation is the territorial limit of protection.

Yes. Applicants are required to submit a signed power of attorney to complete the application.

Pre-filing use is beneficial only in cases where the mark is basically non-distinctive. The applicant may use it to exhibit the mark’s distinctive qualities and to deal with challenges based on non-distinctiveness.

Yes. A third party may attack the registered mark on the ground of non-use which will inevitably result to a cancelled registration.

Applicants may register any mark or sign that can graphically be reproduced and can make the good or service distinguishable from others. 

• Names
• Words
• Motion
• Devices
• Sounds
• Holograms
• Colors
• Slogans
• Shapes with 3 dimensions

These are the phases of trademark application: 

1. Publication – The application details will be published in print and online. Making the following information available to everyone allows interested parties to oppose.
   • Mark
   • Goods/services
   • Applicant’s name
   • Applicant’s address
   • Date of application
   • Number of application
   • Information about priority claim
   • Trademark representation
2. Examination – Trademark authorities will examine the application and make sure that it is compliant with all the requirements in terms of: classification, formalities, deceptiveness, clarity, descriptiveness, distinctiveness, and possible conflicts with other registrations.
3. Registration – Provided there is no ground for rejection and oppositions have been successfully overcome, the issuance of registration will be the next step.

The following marks/signs are banned by law: 

• Marks that are in conflict with moral principles or a threat to public order
• Marks that can be used primarily as a name of a geographic location
• Marks without distinctive qualities
• Marks that are generic or have a general meaning
• Marks that feature a flag, symbol or name of a nation/region/state or an international organization

Yes. The Russian Federation uses the Nice Classification. Multiple applications are not necessary to cover several classes of goods / services. Just one application would suffice.

Yes. The home application date can be considered as the filing date in the Russian Federation if: 

• The home country is a Paris Convention signatory
• The home application was filed not exceeding 6 months prior to the filing of application in the Russian Federation

Use the mark within 3 years from the date of its registration. It must be used commercially and must occur in the Russian Federation.

Registered marks in the Russian Federation have an initial validity of 10 years starting from the application date.

To know when you should first renew your trademark, count 10 years from the date when you filed for application.

Yes. It is legal to use unregistered marks.