# TMEP § 1003.02: Priority Claim Must Be Filed Within Six Months of Foreign Filing

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.02

## Section

- **Citation:** TMEP § 1003.02
- **Heading:** Priority Claim Must Be Filed Within Six Months of Foreign Filing
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** USPTO TMEP / Chapter 1000 - Applications Under Section 44 / TMEP § 1003.02

## Text

An applicant must file a claim of priority within six months
after
the filing date of the foreign application.
15 U.S.C.
§1126(d)(1)
;
37 C.F.R.
§§2.34(a)(4)(i)
,
2.35(b)(5)
; Paris Convention Article 4(C)(3). The applicant can submit
the priority claim after the filing date of the U.S. application, as long as the claim of
priority is submitted within six months of the foreign filing and the claimed priority date
is earlier than the filing date of the U.S. application.
Example:
If an eligible applicant files in France on December 6, 2011,
and in the United States on January 12, 2012, the applicant can add a priority claim to
the United States application on or before June 6, 2012, if the applicant meets the
requirements of §44(d). The applicant cannot add a priority claim to the U.S. application
after June 6, 2012.
If an applicant claims priority under §44(d), but does not
specify the filing date of the foreign application, the examining attorney must require that
the applicant specify the date of the foreign filing.
If the applicant submits a claim of priority more than six
months after the date of the foreign filing, the examining attorney must advise the
applicant that it is not entitled to priority.
See
15 U.S.C.
§1126(d)
;
37 C.F.R.
§§2.34(a)(4)(i)
,
2.35(b)(5)
. If the applicant has not claimed another filing basis, the
examining attorney must require the applicant to claim and perfect an acceptable basis
before the application can be approved for publication or for registration on the
Supplemental Register. See
TMEP
§1003.03
regarding registration basis for §44 applications and
§806.03
regarding amendment of the basis. The examining attorney
should ensure that the priority claim is deleted from the Trademark database, and should
conduct a new search of USPTO records for conflicting marks
ble basis
before the application can be approved for publication or for registration on the
Supplemental Register. See
TMEP
§1003.03
regarding registration basis for §44 applications and
§806.03
regarding amendment of the basis. The examining attorney
should ensure that the priority claim is deleted from the Trademark database, and should
conduct a new search of USPTO records for conflicting marks.
If the priority period ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal
holiday within the District of Columbia, the priority claim may be filed no later than the
following day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal holiday within the District of
Columbia. Paris Convention Article 4(C)(3);
35 U.S.C.
§21(b)
;
37 C.F.R.
§2.196
.

## Nearby sections

- [TMEP § 1001 Section 44 Applications - General](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1001.md)
- [TMEP § 1002.01 Eligible Applicants Under §44(e)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1002.01.md)
- [TMEP § 1002.02 Eligible Applicants Under §44(d)](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1002.02.md)
- [TMEP § 1002.03 Establishing Entitlement Under a Treaty or Foreign Law](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1002.03.md)
- [TMEP § 1002.04 Establishing Country of Origin](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1002.04.md)
- [TMEP § 1002.05 U.S. Applicants](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1002.05.md)
- [TMEP § 1003 Section 44(d) - Priority Filing Date Based on a Foreign Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.md)
- [TMEP § 1003.01 The “First-Filed” Requirement](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.01.md)
- [TMEP § 1003.02 Priority Claim Must Be Filed Within Six Months of Foreign Filing](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.02.md)
- [TMEP § 1003.03 Basis for Registration Required](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.03.md)
- [TMEP § 1003.04(a) Applications Based Solely on Section 44](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.04(a).md)
- [TMEP § 1003.04(b) Multiple-Basis Applications](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.04(b).md)
- [TMEP § 1003.04(c) Periodic Inquiries Issued as to Status of Foreign Application](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.04(c).md)
- [TMEP § 1003.05 Section 44(d) and Priority for Publication](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.05.md)

---

Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/TMEP_S1003.02. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.