Madrid Protocol · WIPO international filing
One filing. Protection across 130+ countries.
Instead of a stack of separate national filings, the Madrid Protocol lets you extend one trademark to your choice of 130+ countries through a single application filed via WIPO — one matter, one renewal, one inbox. Attorney-led, quoted to your designation list.
Filing in fewer than 10 countries, or need fully independent national rights? Direct national filings may be the better route.
When Madrid is the right route
Three conditions where Madrid wins on the math.
Madrid Protocol filings only make sense in specific commercial situations. We tell you when to use it — and when direct national filings are the better answer.
You're filing in 10 or more jurisdictions
Madrid is dramatically cheaper than running ten parallel national filings. The break-even point typically sits around 8–10 designations, depending on the registry mix — we model the exact crossover for your list before you commit.
One application, one renewal, one inbox matters
A single WIPO international registration replaces a stack of national matters — one filing, one renewal cycle, one number to track. Designation fees are passed through at cost; our professional fee scales with the list, quoted upfront so there are no surprises.
You can accept central-attack risk during the first 5 years
If your base mark is cancelled in the first 5 years, every Madrid designation falls with it. After year 5, the international registration becomes fully independent of the base.
What's included & how pricing works
One engagement, quoted to your country list.
Madrid is quoted per matter, because the cost scales with how many countries you designate. GTC's professional fee covers base-mark verification, designation strategy, drafting, WIPO submission, multi-jurisdiction status tracking, certificate handling, and the first non-substantive office-action response in each jurisdiction. Government pass-through — the WIPO basic fee plus an individual fee for each country you designate — is paid to WIPO and the national offices at cost. We quote both parts to your exact list before any work begins, so the number you see is the number you pay.
- Base-mark verification and Madrid eligibility check (does your base support the designations you want?)
- Designation strategy mapped to your commercial markets across the 130+ Madrid jurisdictions
- Application drafting and goods-and-services scope review for each designation's classification system
- Submission to WIPO via your office of origin, with end-to-end correspondence in English
- WIPO basic fee and every designated-country fee paid for you at filing — passed through at cost
- USPTO national filing arranged if you don't already hold a base mark to file from
- Status tracking against every designated office — examination, refusal, grant
- First non-substantive office-action response in each jurisdiction (substantive refusals quoted upfront)
- Madrid-specific status updates in your GTC client portal, separate from national matters
- Local registration certificates delivered to your portal as they issue
- A pre-engagement consultation to confirm Madrid is the right route and quote your designation list
Substantive refusals are quoted upfront. Article 5 refusals (likelihood of confusion, lack of distinctiveness), inter partes proceedings, and post-grant maintenance are out of scope of the base engagement and are quoted per matter before any work begins. Defensive Chinese-character, katakana, and Hangul filings are separate national applications and are not part of a Madrid international registration.
How it works
Three stages, one attorney, every designated office.
- 01
Confirm the base mark and the right designations
We verify that your home-country application or registration can serve as a Madrid base, then map your commercial markets to the Madrid jurisdictions and quote the exact designation list. We flag designations that need defensive sub-class strategy (China) or transliterations (China, Japan, Korea, UAE, Saudi Arabia).
- 02
Draft and file the international application via WIPO
We draft the international application, including the goods-and-services specification scaled to each designation's classification system, and submit through your office of origin to WIPO. WIPO formal examination usually concludes within 6–8 weeks of filing.
- 03
Manage every national prosecution through a single inbox
After WIPO publishes the international registration, each designated office runs its own substantive examination. We track them all, respond to standard procedural notifications, and forward national certificates to your portal as they issue. Most designations grant within 12–18 months.
When direct national is better
We'll tell you when Madrid is the wrong answer.
Madrid Protocol filings come with real trade-offs. In four common situations, direct national filings are the more sensible route. We model both during the pre-engagement consultation.
Fewer than ~10 target countries
Direct national filings are usually more cost-effective at this scale, and the registrations are fully independent from day one — no central-attack exposure.
You want fully independent national rights immediately
A Madrid international registration is tied to the base mark for 5 years. If that's a deal-breaker for your IP strategy, file directly with each national registry instead.
A target country isn't in the Madrid system
Hong Kong and Taiwan, in particular, are not Madrid members. Brands targeting those markets must file directly with the local registry, regardless of how many other designations they want.
You only need 1 or 2 priority markets
For one or two target jurisdictions, the WIPO basic fee and central-attack risk aren't worth the simplicity gain. Direct national filings are the better answer.
Filing in 1–5 priority markets instead?
Direct national filings give you fully independent rights from day one. See our top-20 jurisdiction pages for fixed pricing per country.
The Madrid Protocol contracting parties
130+ countries, one application.
Every Madrid member can be designated in a single international application. Top Madrid jurisdictions shown here; the full list of 110+ contracting parties (covering 130+ countries) lives on the WIPO Madrid Monitor. View the full WIPO member list
- United States
- European Union
- China
- India
- United Kingdom
- Canada
- Japan
- Germany
- Australia
- South Korea
- France
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Italy
- Spain
- United Arab Emirates
- Saudi Arabia
- Singapore
Madrid members shown from GTC's top jurisdictions list. The Madrid Protocol spans 130+ countries through 110+ contracting parties (the EU counts as one party but covers all 27 member states).
Your Customer Success Team
A real team that owns your matter — not a ticket queue.
Every GTC client gets a dedicated Account Manager and a Senior Account Manager who learn your business and stay with you from first email to final filing — real people who pick up the phone, so you never re-explain your brand or chase a queue.
Your Account Manager
Your day-to-day point of contact — coordinates every matter, keeps things moving, and already knows your file. No intake form, no re-explaining.
Your Senior Account Manager
Senior oversight on strategy and escalations, stepping in as your needs grow — so nothing important slips through the cracks.
A real person, on email or a call — at every step.
The proof
Real work, real clients, real reviews
7,500+
Trademarks filed
10,000+
Clients served
107
Trademark jurisdictions
11
In-house attorneys
“I've had the pleasure of working with Rajat for many years. He has expertly guided me through the process of registering my company in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and more. His deep knowledge of trademark law across jurisdictions is impressive.”
“We had various US trademarks to submit, and the team at Modi & Zaidi handled the entire process. They are friendly, knowledgeable and punctual. We will definitely use their services again.”
“Working with Maryam & the team of Rajat Modi has been an exceptional experience. Her professionalism, knowledge, and commitment to my case have been evident throughout the process.”
“I am a regular customer of GTC. They have done more than 15 Multi-Countries Trademarks for me so far. Their service quality and turnaround time is exceptional.”
“I had infringed on the copyright of a big brand, which threatened to lose my business. However, thanks to the professional work of this team, we signed the best possible contract and saved the business.”
“Global Trademark Company is the best in the business and I've used them for a number of my applications. Highly recommended for anyone looking for reliable trademark services.”
Madrid Protocol FAQ
The questions clients actually ask
* Government fees. Government pass-through includes the WIPO basic fee (CHF 653 black-and-white / CHF 903 colour) and an individual designation fee for each country you select — paid to WIPO and the national offices at cost. Designation fees fluctuate with currency and scheduled WIPO/registry adjustments; your quote reflects the rates current when it is issued. Government-fee handling and refund treatment are governed by our Refund & Credit Policy.
† Substantive refusals out of scope. The engagement covers the first non-substantive office-action response in each designated jurisdiction. Substantive refusals under Article 5 of the Madrid Protocol, inter partes proceedings (oppositions, invalidations, cancellations), and post-grant maintenance (renewals, declarations of use, transfers) are out of scope and are quoted upfront per matter before any work begins. See scope of work.
§ Central-attack risk. For 5 years from the international registration date, every Madrid designation is dependent on the base mark. If the base is refused, withdrawn, or cancelled within that period, every designation falls with it. From year 5 onward, the international registration becomes fully independent of the base. Central-attack outcomes are a feature of the Madrid system and not a refund trigger (see our policy on office decisions). Where this dependency is unacceptable to your IP strategy, direct national filings remain available.
Not sure Madrid is the right route?
Ready when you are.
Book a free 30-minute consult with a Madrid-experienced trademark attorney. We'll confirm your base mark, map your designation list across the 130+ Madrid countries, and quote the all-in number — or tell you when direct national filings are the smarter call. No sales pitch, no obligation.
