International Trademark Registration Through the WIPO Madrid System
International trademark registration through the Madrid System lets you protect your trademark in more than 130 countries with one application. You file in one language and pay in one currency. The system is run by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva.
You file through your home trademark office, choose the countries you need, and manage renewals and changes centrally. Each country then examines the mark under its own law, just as if you had filed there directly.
On this page
Madrid System at a glance
- IP office
- WIPO International Bureau, Geneva; you file through your home trademark office (office of origin)
- Law
- Madrid Protocol (1989) and the Common Regulations
- System
- One international registration giving a bundle of national rights in the countries you designate
- Classification
- Nice Classification, 45 classes
- Multi-class filing
- Yes, one application covers all classes
- Madrid Protocol
- 115+ members covering 130+ countries, including the EU, OAPI and Benelux
- Language
- English, French or Spanish
- Opposition period
- Set by each designated country; countries have 12 or 18 months to refuse, longer if based on an opposition
- Typical timeline
- WIPO registers in 1 to 3 months; each country decides within 12 or 18 months
- Validity
- 10 years from the international registration date, renewable at WIPO
- Official fees
- WIPO basic fee CHF 653 (CHF 903 for a colour mark), plus a fee for each designated country
- Power of attorney
- None needed at WIPO; the office of origin may ask for one
* Timelines assume no objections or oppositions. Laws change, so contact us to confirm current requirements.
Why use the Madrid System
One application, many countries
File once through your home office instead of preparing separate applications, translations and payments for every country.
Lower upfront cost
One set of fees in Swiss francs is usually cheaper than national filings in several countries, especially before local refusals arise.
Add countries as you grow
Subsequent designations extend protection to new markets later, under the same international registration.
One portfolio to manage
Renewals, ownership changes, and name and address updates are recorded once at WIPO for all designated countries.
Our Madrid System services
End-to-end support from strategy to local defence, with associates in every major designated country.
Trademark search
Pre-filing clearance in your target countries before you designate them.
Trademark registration
The MM2 application, goods and services list and country designations through your office of origin, plus later subsequent designations.
Office action response
Responses to provisional refusals through local attorneys in each refusing country.
Opposition
Filing or defending oppositions in designated countries, plus replacement and transformation if your home mark falls.
Renewal and recordals
10-year renewals, assignments and changes recorded once at WIPO for all designations.
Trademark watch
Alerts on conflicting marks in your designated countries and in the WIPO Gazette.
Why choose Legacy Partners Global as your Madrid filing consultants
- Country-by-country advice: we tell you where Madrid works well and where a national or regional filing is safer.
- Global associate network: local attorneys in 190+ jurisdictions answer refusals, coordinated by one Legacy Partners Global contact.
- Home-office experience: we file Madrid applications from India and the UAE and handle the office-of-origin steps there.
- Fixed written quotes: WIPO fees, individual country fees and our professional fees confirmed in writing before you instruct us.
- Offices in UAE, India, UK and Canada: we serve brand owners expanding worldwide.
A qualified attorney reviews every enquiry within one working day.
Madrid member countries: key markets in and out
Most major economies are Madrid members, but several important markets are not. Check every target country before choosing Madrid.
| Region | Madrid members (can be designated) | Not members (file nationally) |
|---|---|---|
| Middle East and GCC | UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan | Kuwait, Lebanon, Iraq |
| South Asia | India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka | Bangladesh, Nepal |
| East and Southeast Asia | China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines | Hong Kong, Taiwan, Myanmar |
| Europe | European Union, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway, Benelux, Russia, Ukraine | No major markets |
| Americas | United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia | Argentina, Chile, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay |
| Africa | OAPI (17 states), Egypt, Morocco, Kenya, Ghana, Tunisia, Algeria | South Africa, Nigeria, ARIPO (as a region) |
| Oceania | Australia, New Zealand | Fiji, Papua New Guinea |
| Eurasia | Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus | EAEU (as a union) |
For the full, current position, see WIPO's official list of Madrid members.
Madrid System filing process
Here is how to file an international trademark through the Madrid System, step by step.
A Madrid filing passes through three stages: your home office, WIPO, then each designated country.
Basic mark
File or hold a trademark application or registration at your office of origin. Examples are the Indian Trade Marks Registry and the UAE Ministry of Economy.
International application
File the MM2 form, or e-file, through your office of origin in English, French or Spanish, choosing the countries to designate. The office certifies it and sends it to WIPO. Filing within 6 months of your first application lets you claim Paris Convention priority.
Formal examination at WIPO (1 to 3 months)
WIPO checks formalities, classification and fees. It then records the mark in the International Register, publishes it in the WIPO Gazette and notifies each designated country.
Examination by each country (12 or 18 months)
Each designated office examines the mark under its own law. It may issue a provisional refusal within 12 or 18 months.
Grant or refusal
Each country issues a statement of grant of protection, or a refusal that you can contest through a local attorney.
Protection
Where no refusal is issued, or a refusal is overcome, the mark is protected in that country as if registered nationally.
Renewal (every 10 years)
Renew every 10 years directly with WIPO for all designations at once.
Start your application in a few minutes. Nothing is filed until you approve the written quote.
Who can file through the Madrid System
You can file if you have one of these connections with a Madrid member, which becomes your office of origin:
- Nationality of a member country, or
- Domicile in a member country, or
- A real and effective business establishment there.
You also need a basic mark: a trademark application or registration in that office. Your international application must match it in the mark and owner, and cannot cover broader goods or services.
Madrid filing from India or the UAE
Both India and the UAE are Madrid members. Indian applicants file through the Indian Trade Marks Registry. UAE applicants file through the UAE Ministry of Economy. We handle the office-of-origin steps in both.
Documents required for a Madrid filing
Basic mark details
Application or registration number and date in the office of origin.
Applicant details
These must match the basic mark exactly.
Mark representation
Identical to the basic mark.
Goods and services list
The same as, or narrower than, the basic mark.
Designated countries
Your list of countries and any country-specific declarations, such as the US declaration of intention to use (MM18).
Power of attorney
For the office of origin, as required by that office.
Power of attorney and representation for Madrid filings
A Madrid filing needs no notarised or legalised power of attorney at WIPO, which does not require a representative. Your office of origin may ask for a power of attorney for the attorney filing there. Responses to provisional refusals usually need a local attorney in that country. Some countries need extra documents, such as the MM18 declaration for the US. We send a ready-to-sign power of attorney the same day you instruct us.
Timeline, validity and renewal
How long registration takes
WIPO usually registers the mark 1 to 3 months after the office of origin forwards the application. Each designated country then has 12 or 18 months to refuse, and many grant protection sooner. The registration lasts 10 years from the international registration date. It is renewed once at WIPO for all designations, with a 6-month grace period and a surcharge.
Madrid System law and WIPO's role
The Madrid System is governed by the Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (1989) and the Common Regulations. Since 2016, all members are bound by the Protocol only.
WIPO's International Bureau handles formalities, registration, publication, renewals and recordals. It does not decide whether a mark is protected. Each designated country examines the mark, and its national courts handle infringement.
Madrid vs national filing vs regional filing
Madrid is best for several Madrid-member countries at once. National filings are often better for one or two countries, non-members or marks at risk at home.
| Madrid System | National filings | Regional (European Union, OAPI, Benelux, ARIPO) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage | Any Madrid members you designate | One country per filing | All states of the region, or chosen ARIPO states |
| Home mark needed | Yes | No | No |
| Dependency risk | 5 years: home mark failure ends all designations | None | None |
| Upfront cost for 3+ countries | Lowest | Highest | Low within the region |
| Language | English, French or Spanish | Local language of each office | Varies by office |
| Management | One registration at WIPO | Separate portfolios | One per region |
| Local agent | Only to answer refusals | Usually required from filing | Varies |
| Suits | Many countries, strong home mark | Key markets, non-members, risky home mark | Brands focused on one region |
Use requirements
Madrid has no central use requirement. Each designated country applies its own rules, such as proof of use in the US or non-use cancellation after 3 to 5 years in most countries.
Keep evidence of use in each country: invoices, websites, packaging and advertising.
Provisional refusals, oppositions and central attack
Provisional refusals
A designated country can refuse within 12 or 18 months of notification, or later if the refusal is based on an opposition. The refusal affects only that country. You answer through a local attorney there, within the deadline set by that office.
Oppositions and statements of grant
Third parties oppose in each designated country under its own procedure, after WIPO publishes the registration. Many countries send a statement of grant once examination ends, giving early certainty.
Dependency, central attack and transformation
For 5 years from the international registration date, your Madrid registration depends on the basic mark. If the home mark is refused, cancelled or limited in that period, the international registration falls to the same extent in every country. This is the central attack risk.
You can rescue protection through transformation. Within 3 months of cancellation, file national or regional applications in the designated countries, keeping the original international registration date.
Trademark enforcement and infringement under the Madrid System
A Madrid registration gives you the same rights as a national registration in each country that grants protection. Enforcement always happens country by country, under national law and before national courts.
Your enforcement options
- Cease-and-desist letter: sent to infringers in each market.
- Civil and criminal action: before national courts, including injunctions and damages.
- Customs recordal: in each country, to stop counterfeit imports.
- Online takedowns: on marketplaces, using your international registration certificate and country grant statements.
Practical tip
Some courts and customs offices ask for a national certificate. Keep the WIPO certificate and each country's statement of grant ready for enforcement.
How Legacy Partners Global helps
Our Madrid trademark consultants coordinate enforcement through local counsel in each designated country, from one point of contact.
What to know before filing through Madrid
Check every target country is a member
Key markets like Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Africa, Nigeria and much of Latin America need national filings.
Draft goods and services for the strictest country
The US, China and others require precise wording. A broad list copied from the home mark can trigger refusals.
Budget for local refusals
Madrid fees are low upfront, but each provisional refusal needs a paid local attorney response.
Client stories
Businesses that trust us with their brands across borders.
We had an excellent experience working with Legacy Partners for trademark registration and brand protection services in India. Their expert team guided us throughout the filing process, ensuring accurate documentation, timely updates, and seamless support. Their professionalism and intellectual property expertise gave us confidence in protecting our brand identity while supporting our expansion into new markets.
We had a seamless experience working with Legacy Partners for trademark registration services in Bahrain. Their professional team provided excellent support throughout the trademark filing process, ensuring timely updates, accurate documentation, and smooth coordination. Their expertise in intellectual property and brand protection services helped us secure our brand identity with confidence.
* Client stories are shared with permission.
Madrid System: FAQ
How long does a Madrid registration take?
WIPO registers the mark within 1 to 3 months of receiving it from your office of origin. Each designated country then has 12 or 18 months to refuse, and many grant protection sooner.
How much does a Madrid filing cost?
A WIPO basic fee of CHF 653, or CHF 903 for a colour mark, plus a fee for each designated country and our professional fee. We confirm the full cost in writing before anything is filed.
How long is a Madrid registration valid?
10 years from the international registration date, renewable at WIPO for all countries at once.
Can I file one application for several classes?
Yes. One international application covers all classes. Some countries charge their own fee for each class.
Do I need a local agent or Madrid trademark consultant?
Not to file at WIPO. You need a local attorney only if a country issues a provisional refusal, or for enforcement. Your office of origin may require a representative.
How do I choose a Madrid trademark consultant?
Check that they advise country by country on Madrid versus national filing and answer refusals through local attorneys. They should also quote WIPO, country and professional fees separately.
Is there one international trademark valid worldwide?
No. Madrid gives you a bundle of national rights. Each designated country decides protection under its own law, and some major markets are not members.
What can I do if someone copies my trademark in a designated country?
Enforce it like a national mark: send a cease-and-desist letter, record it with customs, request takedowns or go to court in that country.
Does the Madrid System follow first-to-file?
Each designated country applies its own rules, and most are first-to-file. Your international registration date counts in every designated country, so file before you launch.
Do I need to use my trademark before filing?
Not for Madrid itself. Some countries, such as the US, need a declaration of intention to use, and most allow non-use cancellation after 3 to 5 years.
Do I need to file my Madrid application in a particular language?
Yes. You file in English, French or Spanish, as your office of origin allows. No translation is needed for each designated country.
Do I need a trademark in my home country first?
Yes. You need a basic application or registration in your office of origin, and every designation depends on it for the first 5 years.
What documents do I need, and does the power of attorney need notarisation or legalisation?
Your basic mark details, applicant details, the mark, your goods and services list and the countries to designate. WIPO needs no power of attorney, and your office of origin may need a simple one, without notarisation or legalisation.
Explore country trademark guides
- Trademark registration in European Union
- Trademark registration in United Kingdom
- Trademark registration in United States
- Trademark registration in China
- Trademark registration in India
- Trademark registration in United Arab Emirates
- Trademark registration in Saudi Arabia
- Trademark registration in OAPI
- Trademark registration in ARIPO
- Trademark registration in Benelux
- Trademark registration in EAEU
Register your international trademark today
Speak to our Madrid trademark consultants. Send your mark and we will reply with a free search and a fixed written quote within one working day.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Official requirements and fees can change; we confirm the current position for your matter before filing.