Summary
The Kingdom of Bahrain is a member of the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. Starting June 2007, claiming priority has become possible.
The International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of the Registration of Marks under the Nice Agreement is followed in Bahrain and the revision of class 42 with the creation of classes 43 to 45 has been adopted as of July 1, 2005.
The application process includes examination as per the register ability of the trademark. It takes approximately 24 months before an office action is issued by the trademark authority or registration. A trademark is published upon its acceptance. An opposition is to be filed within 60 days from the publication's date.
A trademark registration in Bahrain is valid for 10 years and starts from the filing date. The registration is renewable for periods of 10 years. If a trademark is not renewed, the law does not allow third parties to register the trademark for 3 years from the date of cancellation.
Duly note, if the trademark has not been used within 5 years from registration, it may be subject to cancellation by any interested party and before the court.
Requirements
Filing Applications
1. A signed Power of Attorney, notarized and legalized up to Bahrain or any other Arab Consulate.
2. A certified copy of the home registration or any foreign registration of the trademark (except from boycotted countries). If the registration certificate is not available, one of the following documents can be used, provided that the specifications of goods or the line of activity of the applicant is stated thereon and that these are legalized up to the Consulate of Bahrain or any other Arab consulate in the country of the applicant:
a. A certificate of incorporation of the applicant company.
b. A certificate issued by the Registrar of Companies.
c. An extract of the entry of the applicant company in the Commercial Register.
d. A certificate issued by the Chamber of Commerce.
3. The full name, address, nationality and profession of the applicant.
4. A list of the goods to be covered by the application, in no more than 6 lines.
5. Eight prints of the mark, if it is a device mark.
Renewal of Trademark/Service Mark Registrations
1. A signed Power of Attorney, notarized and legalized up to Bahrain or any other Arab Consulate.
2. The number and date of the registered trademark/service mark.
Assignment Applications
1. A signed Power of Attorney, notarized and legalized up to Bahrain or any other Arab Consulate.
2. A duly legalized deed of assignment signed by the assignor and the assignee.
Change of Name/Address Applications
1. A signed Power of Attorney, notarized and legalized up to Bahrain or any other Arab Consulate.
2. A letter from the proprietors addressed to the Registrar of Trademarks in Bahrain stating their request to effect the change of name or address.
Registered User Applications
1. A signed Power of Attorney, notarized and legalized up to Bahrain or any other Arab Consulate.
2. A simply signed Power of Attorney by the original owners of the trademark, stamped with the company's seal.
3. A license agreement or a registered user agreement duly legalized.
Amendment Applications
1. A letter from the proprietors addressed to the Registrar of Trademarks in Bahrain stating their request to effect the amendment.
2. Five prints of the amended trademark/service mark, if it relates to the amendment of the shape of the mark.
Agency Agreement Applications
1. A Power of Attorney legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate.
2. An Agency Agreement executed by the Principal and the Agent, legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate.
