INPI alerts applicants to requests for payments made by entities that have no relationship with the institute. These payments have no value for Industrial Property protection.
INPI often receives complaints from people who apply for the registration of trademarks, patents and designs and who are then notified by letter that they need to pay fees allegedly related to the applications to the Institute.
These letters are sent after applications for trademark, patent and design protection have been published in the Industrial Property Bulletin.
The correspondence refers to the application number, as well as the name of the applicant and the address.
The indication of these data may mislead the applicant and cause him to make a payment that has nothing to do with the application made to the INPI.
Requests for payment without any relation to INPI
These letters and requests for payment have no relation to INPI, which is the only entity in Portugal with competence to grant and manage Industrial Property Rights.
The payment of the fees referred in this type of correspondence does not have any effect on the trademarks, patents or designs application process made to INPI.
Unlike in the correspondence sent by the Institute, letters sent by entities that have no relation to INPI request that the applicant transfer an amount to a certain account or IBAN.
If in doubt, do not make any payment without first consulting our Public Helpdesk, through:
- our Line 21 881 81 88
- our email
If you have received a letter from these or made payment of a fee referred to in that correspondence, contact the Polícia Judiciária (Police).
INPI measures to fight illegal payment requests
To alert applicants to these situations and to avoid this practice, INPI has implemented a series of measures, such as:
- the publication of alerts on the INPI website, either for information purposes or when applicants make online payment of application fees for registration or renewal of registrations;
- the re-routing of complaints submitted by users of the Industrial Property system to the Polícia Judiciária (Police);
- the clarification, through INPI´s telephone and in-person services, of the doubts presented by the users regarding these letters and payments;
- the request from the European Association of Brand Holders for Portugal to be included in the list of countries receiving such correspondence.
INPI will continue to follow this practice closely and take steps to ensure the trust of those who apply for trademarks, patents and designs and ensure the proper functioning of the Industrial Property system.
See below for some examples of letters requesting payment of fees that are not related to trademark, patent, and design applications made to INPI.
Example 1
Exemple 2
Exemple 3
Exemple 4
Exemple 5
Exemple 6
Exemple 7
Exemple 8
Example 8
