Entering the U.S. market? Protect your brand first
¿Va a entrar al mercado de Estados Unidos? Proteja su marca primero.
A registration in your home country stops at the border. Before you appoint a U.S. distributor, list on Amazon.com, or ship your first container to Miami, your brand needs its own U.S. protection. We are U.S. trademark attorneys in Miami who work in Spanish and act for brand owners and law firms across Latin America.
U.S. trademark filings from the eight countries we serve
Owners from these eight countries filed 20,456 U.S. trademark applications from 2021 to 2025. Mexico alone accounts for more than half, followed by Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Chile.
U.S. applications by owner country, 2021–2025
Applications from owners with an address in each country.
Madrid members and direct filers
Four of the eight countries are Madrid Protocol members. Owners in the other four must file directly with the USPTO.
| Country | Madrid | Filings 2021–25 | Registered* | Via Madrid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexico | Yes, 2013 | 11,007 | 57% | 2% |
| Venezuela | No | 113 | 47% | — |
| Colombia | Yes, 2012 | 1,946 | 55% | 8% |
| Argentina | No | 1,631 | 46% | — |
| Chile | Yes, 2022 | 1,493 | 52% | 4% |
| Peru | No | 498 | 50% | — |
| Brazil | Yes, 2019 | 3,445 | 56% | 13% |
| Uruguay | No | 323 | 54% | — |
*Share of 2021–2023 applications that have registered. The rate for all USPTO applicants is 59%.
How we counted. USPTO trademark records, retrieved October 27, 2026, counting applications by filing date and owner address. Brands owned through U.S. subsidiaries are counted under the U.S.
Choose your country
Each country page covers your filing route, the costs, the most common filing mistakes, and U.S. filing data for owners from that country.
Mexico
11,007 U.S. filings, 2021–25Madrid since 2013¿Su marca mexicana está protegida en Estados Unidos?
VE · SAPIVenezuela
113 U.S. filings, 2021–25Direct filing only¿Su marca venezolana está protegida en Estados Unidos?
CO · SICColombia
1,946 U.S. filings, 2021–25Madrid since 2012¿Su marca colombiana está protegida en Estados Unidos?
AR · INPI ArgentinaArgentina
1,631 U.S. filings, 2021–25Direct filing only¿Su marca argentina está protegida en Estados Unidos?
CL · INAPIChile
1,493 U.S. filings, 2021–25Madrid since 2022¿Su marca chilena está protegida en Estados Unidos?
PE · INDECOPIPeru
498 U.S. filings, 2021–25Direct filing only¿Su marca peruana está protegida en Estados Unidos?
BR · INPI BrazilBrazil
3,445 U.S. filings, 2021–25Madrid since 2019Sua marca brasileira está protegida nos Estados Unidos?
UY · DNPIUruguay
323 U.S. filings, 2021–25Direct filing only¿Su marca uruguaya está protegida en Estados Unidos?
How Latin American applications fare
Registrations issued to owners from the eight countries have grown sharply since 2021, but every country's success rate is below the national average.
Share of 2021–2023 applications that registered
Applications from each country that have registered, compared with all USPTO applicants.
Every one of the eight countries trails the national rate. Most of the gap comes from abandoned applications.
Applications filed and registrations issued, eight countries combined
Applications by filing year, and registrations by the year they issued.
View data table
| Year | Filed | Registrations issued |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4,014 | 1,735 |
| 2022 | 3,958 | 1,776 |
| 2023 | 4,354 | 1,978 |
| 2024 | 4,409 | 2,669 |
| 2025 | 3,721 | 2,876 |
How Latin American owners file
Share of 2021–2025 applications from the eight countries claiming each basis.
Madrid use in the four member countries
Share of each member country's 2021–2025 U.S. applications filed as Madrid designations.
Even in member countries, most owners file directly, often to control U.S. wording and to avoid dependence on the home filing.
Three differences that surprise Latin American owners
Use matters. Most Latin American systems give rights to whoever registers first. In the U.S., rights come from use in U.S. commerce, and a registration must be supported by U.S. use between years 5 and 6.
Descriptions are narrower. The USPTO requires specific wording for goods and services. Descriptions translated from a home filing are a leading cause of refusals.
A U.S. attorney is required. Owners domiciled outside the U.S. must be represented at the USPTO by a U.S.-licensed attorney, including for responses to refusals of Madrid designations.
Before you sell in the U.S.
- Search the U.S. register before you invest in the U.S. launch
- File in the name of the company that owns the brand, not the distributor
- Use priority: file within six months of your home application
- Plan for Amazon Brand Registry and U.S. Customs recordation
Who does what for your U.S. filing
Our team is built for clients outside the U.S. A U.S.-licensed attorney handles each matter, supported by bilingual paralegals and docketing staff, and every step is explained in Spanish or English.
Attorneys
Your U.S. attorney of record before the USPTO.
- U.S. clearance searches and a written risk opinion
- Choosing Madrid or a direct filing, and the filing basis
- Rewriting goods and services in U.S. form
- Responses to refusals, oppositions, and letters of protest
- Enforcement against U.S. infringers and Amazon sellers
Paralegals and docketing
Bilingual staff who keep your file complete and on time.
- Collecting home-country filings, certificates, and translations
- Checking specimens and evidence of U.S. use
- Preparing USPTO filings for attorney review
- Docketing every USPTO, WIPO, and maintenance deadline
- Amazon Brand Registry and U.S. Customs paperwork
Client service
Built for owners and counsel abroad.
- Service in Spanish and English
- WhatsApp and email updates at each step
- Video meetings across time zones
- Invoices in U.S. dollars with wire instructions
- Coordination with your home trademark firm
Working with your home counsel
Many clients reach us through their trademark firm at home. We take instructions from that firm, report in Spanish, and keep the client relationship with them. Our role is the U.S. side: filing, examination, deadlines, and enforcement. See Foreign Trademark Counsel.
Fees and paying from abroad
- Invoices in U.S. dollars, with wire transfer instructions
- Government fees passed through at cost
- A written estimate before each filing or response
Frequently asked questions
Does my registration at home protect my brand in the United States?
No. Trademark rights are territorial, so a registration from IMPI, SIC, INPI, or any other office protects your brand only in that country.
Can I file through the Madrid Protocol?
If your country is a member. Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Brazil are members. Owners in Venezuela, Argentina, Peru, and Uruguay must file directly with the USPTO, and can claim priority from their home filing within six months.
Do I need a U.S. attorney?
Yes. Since August 3, 2019, applicants and registrants domiciled outside the U.S. must be represented at the USPTO by a U.S.-licensed attorney.
Can you work with our trademark firm at home?
Yes. We regularly take instructions from Latin American firms and report back to them in Spanish or English.
How long does a U.S. application take?
Most take 12 to 18 months from filing to registration. Refusals, oppositions, and intent-to-use filings can add time.
Why do Latin American applications register less often?
In the USPTO data, every one of the eight countries registers below the national rate. The main causes are goods descriptions copied from home filings, descriptive Spanish or Portuguese words, and unanswered refusals.
What if a distributor has already registered my brand in the U.S.?
We review whether the registration can be challenged, for example for nonuse or because the distributor had no right to file. Options include cancellation, negotiated assignment, or rebranding for the U.S.
Can I register a Spanish or Portuguese word?
Yes, but the USPTO translates it, and a word that describes the goods in English is refused just as the English word would be.
Agende una consulta
Tell us your brand, your country, and where in the U.S. you plan to sell. We will check the U.S. register, recommend a filing route, and give you a written estimate in U.S. dollars.
- U.S. clearance searches
- Madrid designations and direct USPTO filings
- Responses to USPTO refusals
- Amazon Brand Registry and U.S. Customs recordation