Newsletter
Taiwan-U.S. Patent Priority Document Exchange Streamlines Cross-Border Patent Filings
On September 4, 2026, the Taiwan Intellectual Property Office (TIPO) and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) formally launched the Taiwan-U.S. Patent Priority Document Exchange (PDX) service. The service implements the Memorandum of Understanding on the Secure Exchange of Patent Information signed by the two offices on November 22, 2023.
Background and Significance
Patent offices worldwide have continued to develop cooperative measures that make multinational patent filing more efficient. Taiwan introduced electronic exchanges of patent priority documents with Japan in 2013 and with Korea thereafter.
The United States has long been the leading foreign filing destination for Taiwanese applicants, receiving approximately 20,000 patent applications from Taiwan each year. Conversely, Taiwan receives approximately 7,000 patent applications annually from U.S. applicants, making the United States the second-largest source of foreign patent applications in Taiwan, after Japan. Against this backdrop, the Taiwan-U.S. PDX service is a significant and timely development.
How the PDX Service Works
An applicant claiming priority in Taiwan or the United States may request electronic exchange and provide the access code for the priority application. TIPO and the USPTO can then transmit the priority document directly between their systems, eliminating the need for the applicant to separately submit a paper copy. The service simplifies cross-border filing procedures and reduces the time and expense associated with preparing and delivering paper documents.