Trademark Registration and Protection in Afghanistan

Trademarks in Afghanistan are registered the Trademarks Protection Office of Afghanistan Central Business Registry and Intellectual Property (ACBRIP) a Department of Ministry of Commerce of Afghanistan.

The process for search, registration, renewal, assignment, change and protection of trademarks in Afghanistan is simple and can be completed in few steps, although some steps may take a longer time, which are described as follow:

Trademark Registration Steps in Afghanistan:

1. Filing of the registration application,
2. Issuance of filing tariff and payment of the filing fees,
3. Evaluation of the registration application, which includes search of the applied trademark in trademarks office local and WIPO international databases,
4. If the application is approved in the step “c”, the publication tariff is issued and paid,
5. Trademark application is referred to publishing in the Official Gazette to Ministry of Justice of Afghanistan,
6. After the mark is published in Official Gazette, there is a 21 working days period of objection,
7. If the no objection is made within the period indicated in the step “f”, the trademark registration tariff is issued and paid,
8. A draft trademark registration certificate is issued, and after confirmation of contents by applicant, two copies are printed,
9. The second copy of the trademark registration certificate is signed by the filing officer, Evaluation Manager, Trademarks Office Manager, Director of IP Department and both copies are signed and stamped by the Director ACBRIP, and one copy is provided to applicant and the second is archived in ACBRIP. The issued trademark registration certificate is valid for 10 years.

Requirements and documents for registration of trademark in Afghanistan:

1. In person attendance of the applicant in ACBRIP, or having a legalized and attested power of attorney,
2. Trademark registration application,
3. Copy of National ID of the applicant or its attorney,
4. Copy of business license of the applicant or its attorney,
5. Signed copy of the trademark office guide for registration of trademark,

Steps for Trademark Assignment in Afghanistan:

1. Filing of the assignment application,
2. Issuance of filing tariff and payment of the filing fees,
3. Evaluation of the assignment application, which includes check of the assigned trademark in trademarks office local and WIPO international databases,
4. If the application is approved in the step “c”, the publication tariff is issued and paid,
5. Trademark application is referred to publishing in the Official Gazette to Ministry of Justice of Afghanistan,
6. After the mark is published in Official Gazette, there is a 21 working days period of objection,
7. If the no objection is made within the period indicated in the step “f”, the trademark registration tariff is issued and paid,
8. A draft trademark registration certificate is issued, and after confirmation of contents by applicant, two copies are printed,
9. The second copy of the trademark registration certificate is signed by the filing officer, Evaluation Manager, Trademarks Office Manager, Director of IP Department and both copies are signed and stamped by the Director ACBRIP, and one copy is provided to applicant and the second is archived in ACBRIP. The issued trademark registration certificate is valid for 10 years.

 

Requirements and documents for assignment of trademark in Afghanistan:

1. In person attendance of the applicant in ACBRIP, or having a legalized and attested power of attorney,
2. Trademark assignment deed from assignor to assignee,
3. Trademark assignment application,
4. Copy of National ID of the applicant or its attorney,
5. Copy of business license of the applicant or its attorney,
6. Signed copy of the trademark office guide for registration of trademark,

Trademark Renewal Steps in Afghanistan:

1. Filing of the renewal application,
2. Issuance of renewal tariff and payment of the renewal fees,
3. Evaluation of the renewal application, which includes search of the applied trademark in trademarks office local databases,
4. A draft trademark registration certificate is issued, and after confirmation of contents by applicant, two copies are printed,
5. The second copy of the trademark registration certificate is signed by the filing officer, Evaluation Manager, Trademarks Office Manager, Director of IP Department and both copies are signed and stamped by the Director ACBRIP, and one copy is provided to applicant and the second is archived in ACBRIP. The issued trademark renewed certificate is valid for 10 years.

Requirements and documents for registration of trademark in Afghanistan:

1. In person attendance of the applicant in ACBRIP, or having a legalized and attested power of attorney,
2. Copy of the previous trademark registration certificate,
3. Trademark registration application,
4. Copy of National ID of the applicant or its attorney,
5. Copy of business license of the applicant or its attorney,
6. Signed copy of the trademark office guide for registration of trademark,