MEXICO
March 17, 2026
On March 11, 2026, an important reform to Article 11 of the Agreement on response deadlines before the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (IMPI) was published.
Key Updates:
- Two-requirement limit: IMPI may issue up to two office actions during the substantive examination of patents and utility models;
- Telematic meetings: Applicants may request a virtual meeting with IMPI during examination;
- IMPI proposal: Upon issuing the first office action, IMPI may propose a telematic meeting to analyze the protection obstacles identified in relation to the state of the art.
Effective Date:
- The reform entered into force on March 12, 2026 (the first business day after publication);
- Applications filed prior to publication will be resolved under the regulations in force at the time of their filing.
This reform reduces the number of possible office actions during substantive examination, from four to only two. At the same time, it reinstates and formalizes the possibility of holding telematic meetings with IMPI to discuss the office actions issued—an option that had been restricted in recent years. Consequently, the Institute is compelled to conduct a more complete and detailed substantive examination from the very first office action.
Filing and prosecution of patents in Mexico
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