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  • Have applied for patent on 2020-01-26 (priority date) in an EU country; after some back and forth it was accepted a few months ago.
  • Want to extend it to other countries:
  • US
  • UK
  • Germany
  • Russia
  • France
  • Japan
  • China

Do they all have a 12 month deadline and I have only a few days left?

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Yes, they all have a 12 months deadline. However you could file a PCT application. A PCT application allows you to enter national phases later (mostly 30/31 months after the priority date, so 18 more months).

It's a way to buy you more time for quite some money. However it also allows you to revise your country selection so you could enter more or less countries later.

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  • Not keen on PCT as it is more expensive and covers many countries that I need no protection in.
    – A.L. Verminburger
    Jan 16, 2021 at 9:56
  • Pct is a waste of money if you know exactly where you want to go, still have the time to get the necessary national lawyers and translations and already have the money to do so. You seem to have trouble with the second and possibly the third point. Otherwise, yes, you're stuck with the 12 months deadline.
    – user18033
    Jan 16, 2021 at 11:14
  • I agree with @DonQuiKong. Many countries are Contracting States of the PCT, but you will only enter into the national/regional phases that you are interested in. Besides, a PCT can result in cost savings in the long run: if you manage to convince the ISA that your invention is patentable, the IPRP will be positive and many patent offices will rely on the opinion in the IPRP. Likewise, if the IPRP is negative and the cited prior art makes your invention not novel or not inventive, perhaps you will not enter into any or some phases, thereby saving you quite some money.
    – the Europeist
    Jan 16, 2021 at 17:23

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