The Madrid Protocol: One Application, Many Countries
The Madrid System lets a brand owner seek trademark protection in up to 133 countries through a single international application, in one language, with one set of fees paid in Swiss francs. We help Florida brands expand abroad through the USPTO, and help Latin American and European brands extend their home registrations into the United States.
One filing, administered by WIPO, examined country by country
The Madrid System does not create a worldwide trademark. It is a filing and management system: one international application, filed through your home trademark office, that WIPO records and forwards to each country you choose. Each designated country then decides under its own law whether to protect the mark.
A pending USPTO application or an issued U.S. registration, owned by the applicant.
Before filingChecks that the international application matches the basic mark, then transmits it to WIPO.
Within 2 months keeps the U.S. dateReviews formalities, records the international registration, publishes it in the WIPO Gazette, and notifies each designated office.
Irregularities: 3 months to fixEach country grants protection or issues a provisional refusal, which must be answered locally.
Refusal window: 12 or 18 monthsIf a designated office does not issue a refusal within its time limit, generally 12 months, or 18 months for members that have opted for the longer period, the mark is protected there as if it had been registered by that office. From then on, renewals, ownership changes, and name or address updates are recorded once with WIPO and take effect in every designated country.
A brief history of the Madrid System
The system is more than 130 years old, but it became practical for U.S. and Latin American brands only in the last two decades, as the major economies joined the 1989 Protocol.
- 1891Madrid AgreementSigned in Madrid by a small group of European states. Applications had to be in French and based on a home registration.
- 1989Madrid Protocol adoptedAllows filing based on a pending application, adds English, and lets offices take 18 months to refuse and charge their own fees.
- 1996Protocol in operationIn force December 1, 1995; WIPO began accepting Protocol filings on April 1, 1996.
- 2003United States joinsEffective November 2, 2003, under the Madrid Protocol Implementation Act. Spanish became a filing language in 2004.
- 2004European Union joinsOne designation now covers every EU member state through the EUIPO.
- 2012–13Colombia and MexicoColombia joins in 2012 and Mexico in 2013, opening the system to Latin American brands.
- 2015One treaty for allWith Algeria's accession, every member is party to the Protocol, which now governs all filings.
- 2019Brazil and CanadaTwo of the largest markets for U.S. exporters join within months of each other.
- 2022–26117 membersChile and Jamaica join in 2022, Belize in 2023, Grenada in March 2026, and Saudi Arabia in October 2026.
WIPO, a United Nations agency based in Geneva, administers the system through its International Bureau. Member offices continue to examine marks under their own national laws.3, 6
The Madrid System by the numbers, 2020 to 2025
U.S. brand owners file more international applications than applicants from any other country, and the United States is the third most designated member worldwide.
International applications filed per year
Filings peaked in 2021 and have held steady near 64,000 to 65,000 a year since 2023.
View data table
| Year | Applications | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ≈63,900 | −0.4% |
| 2021 | ≈73,500 | +15.0% |
| 2022 | ≈69,000 | −6.1% |
| 2023 | ≈64,300 | −6.9% |
| 2024 | ≈65,100 | +1.3% |
| 2025 | 64,150 | −1.5% |
Source: WIPO Madrid Yearly Review 2026.1, 2 WIPO reports 2025 filings and annual growth rates; the 2020–2024 counts shown here are calculated back from those rates and rounded.
Top five countries of origin, 2025
International applications filed, by applicant's home office.
View data table
| Origin | Applications | Change |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 10,997 | −2.5% |
| Germany | 6,106 | −5.3% |
| China | 5,636 | −4.9% |
| France | 4,026 | −4.4% |
| United Kingdom | 3,871 | +3.7% |
Source: WIPO Madrid Yearly Review 2026.1 U.S. applicants made 73,087 designations in 2025, an average of more than six countries per application.
Ten most designated Madrid members, 2025
Where brand owners worldwide most often seek protection through Madrid.
View data table
| Member | Designations |
|---|---|
| European Union | 28,415 |
| United Kingdom | 28,249 |
| United States | 24,322 |
| Canada | 19,937 |
| China | 17,808 |
| Australia | 15,588 |
| Japan | 15,254 |
| Switzerland | 13,841 |
| India | 12,297 |
| Republic of Korea | 12,212 |
Source: WIPO Madrid Yearly Review 2026.2 Class 9 (software and electronics) was the most specified class in 2025 international applications, at about 10.8% of all classes.
What a U.S. applicant needs to file a Madrid application
For U.S.-based brand owners, the USPTO is the office of origin. The international application must mirror the U.S. basic mark, and the requirements below apply before, during, and after filing.
Eligibility and the basic mark
- Connection to the U.S.Required
U.S. nationality, a U.S. domicile, or a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in the U.S.
- A U.S. basic markRequired
A pending USPTO application or an issued U.S. registration. Either a use-based or intent-to-use application can serve as the basis.
- Same ownerRequired
The international applicant must be the exact owner of record of the U.S. basic mark.
- Same markRequired
The mark must be identical to the basic mark, including any color claim, stylization, or design elements.
- Same or narrower goods and servicesRequired
The list cannot be broader than the U.S. basic application or registration, class by class.
The international application
- Filed electronically through the USPTORequired
U.S. applicants cannot file directly with WIPO. The application is submitted to the USPTO, which certifies it.
- Designated membersRequired
At least one Madrid member other than the U.S. More can be added later by subsequent designation.
- Paris Convention priority6 months
Filing within six months of the U.S. basic application lets each designation claim the U.S. filing date.
- Country-specific declarationsSome members
Certain members require extra statements, such as a declaration of intention to use, or later declarations of actual use, as in the Philippines.
- Fees in two currenciesRequired
A USPTO certification fee in dollars, and WIPO fees in Swiss francs that vary with the countries and classes chosen.
After filing
- Two-month transmittal rule2 months
If WIPO receives the application within two months of USPTO receipt, the international registration takes the USPTO receipt date.
- WIPO irregularity notices3 months
Problems with classification, wording, or fees must be corrected within three months of WIPO's notice.
- Provisional refusalsSet locally
Each office sets its own response deadline. Most responses must be filed by a local attorney in that country.
- Five-year dependencyRisk
If the U.S. basic mark is abandoned, cancelled, or narrowed within five years, the international registration falls with it. Owners have three months to convert each designation into a national application.
- Renewal every 10 years10 years
Renewed through WIPO for all designations at once, separately from the U.S. registration's own renewals.
WIPO fees are fixed in Swiss francs and per-country individual fees change with exchange rates, so we quote a full estimate for each filing.4, 5
Madrid compared with direct national filings
Madrid is usually cheaper and simpler when a brand needs several countries. Direct national filings are sometimes the better choice. Many clients use both.
| Madrid international applicationOne filing through the USPTO | Direct national filingsOne filing per country | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of filings | One application, one language, one fee payment to WIPO. | A separate application in each country, in that country's language. |
| Local attorney at filing | Not needed. Local counsel is engaged only if a country refuses. | Usually required in each country from the start. |
| Up-front cost | Lower, especially for three or more countries. | Higher: official fees plus local attorney fees in every country. |
| Goods and services | Tied to the U.S. basic mark, which uses the narrowest wording practice in the world. | Drafted to local practice, often broader than U.S. wording allows. |
| Dependency | Five-year dependency on the U.S. basic mark. | Each filing stands alone. |
| Examination timing | Each office must act within 12 or 18 months, giving a predictable outcome. | Follows each country's own timetable. |
| Later management | One renewal, one ownership change, one address update through WIPO. | Separate renewals and recordals in each country. |
| Coverage | Only the 117 Madrid members. | Any country, including non-members such as Argentina, Peru, Taiwan, and Hong Kong. |
| Best suited for | Brands with a solid U.S. filing that need protection in several member countries. | Key markets outside the system, marks needing different wording abroad, or a weak or narrow U.S. filing. |
◆ marks rows where the two routes differ most.
Ten key Madrid jurisdictions for U.S. brands
Our ranking for U.S. and Florida-based brand owners, weighing trade volume, counterfeiting and trademark-squatting risk, and the importance of Latin American markets to Miami businesses. The right list for any brand depends on where it sells, sources, and manufactures.
European Union member since 2004
One designation covers all 27 EU member states and roughly 450 million consumers. The single most valuable designation for most consumer brands, and the most designated member worldwide in 2025.
United Kingdom member since 1995
Since Brexit, EU rights no longer reach the UK, so it needs its own designation. A major market for U.S. apparel, food, beverage, and technology brands.
Canada member since 2019
A top U.S. trading partner under USMCA. Canada no longer requires use before registration, so early filing protects against third parties claiming the mark first.
Mexico member since 2013
Now the largest U.S. trading partner and a first-to-file country where bad-faith registrations of U.S. brands are common. Registrations require a declaration of use around the third anniversary of registration.
China member since 1995
Essential for any brand that manufactures or sources in China. A first-to-file system with heavy trademark squatting. The designation does not cover Hong Kong or Macao, which need separate national filings.
Japan member since 2000
A large, high-income consumer market with a strong licensing culture. Japan examines strictly for descriptiveness and conflicts, so a clean U.S. filing pays off.
Republic of Korea member since 2003
A strong market for cosmetics, consumer electronics, and entertainment, and a first-to-file system where early filing prevents third-party registrations.
Australia member since 2001
An English-speaking market with close ties to U.S. e-commerce and franchising, and the sixth most designated member worldwide.
Brazil member since 2019
The largest economy in Latin America and a priority for Miami-based exporters. Examination at Brazil's INPI can be slow, which makes an early filing date all the more valuable.
Colombia member since 2012
A fast-growing market with close commercial ties to South Florida, and the first Spanish-speaking South American member of the Madrid System.
Also worth considering: Switzerland and India, the eighth and ninth most designated members in 2025, and Chile, a member since 2022. Designation counts are from the WIPO Madrid Yearly Review 2026.2
Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Taiwan, and Hong Kong are not Madrid members. Brands selling in those markets need direct national filings, which we coordinate through our network of foreign associates. Check the current WIPO members list, since membership changes.
Five common Madrid mistakes by U.S.-based applicants
The Madrid System works well for U.S. brands, but its rules interact with U.S. practice in ways that catch applicants off guard. These are the problems we see most often.
Carrying narrow U.S. wording abroad
The USPTO requires the most specific identification of goods and services of any major office, and the international application cannot be broader. U.S. applicants often end up with narrower protection abroad than a local filing would give, for example covering only "t-shirts" where a European filing could cover "clothing."
Scope limited by basic markDraft the U.S. application with international expansion in mind, using the broadest wording U.S. practice accepts. Where broad coverage matters, file nationally in that market.
Building on a vulnerable basic application
An intent-to-use application or one facing a likelihood-of-confusion refusal can be refused, opposed, or abandoned within the five-year dependency period. When it fails, every designation falls with it, a "central attack" that can wipe out protection in a dozen countries at once.
Central attack · dependencyClear the mark before filing, and where timing allows, base the international application on a registration rather than a pending application. Docket the three-month deadline to convert designations if the basic mark fails.
Missing the six-month priority window
Applicants who wait more than six months after their U.S. filing lose the right to claim the U.S. filing date abroad. In first-to-file countries such as China and Mexico, a squatter who files in that gap can own the brand locally.
Paris Convention priorityDecide on foreign markets when the U.S. application is filed, not after it registers. File the international application within six months of the U.S. filing date.
Ignoring provisional refusals from abroad
Foreign offices send refusals through WIPO, sometimes in French or Spanish, with short local deadlines. Many applicants assume the international registration is final once WIPO issues it, and the designation lapses without a response.
Local deadlines · local counselBudget for local counsel in the countries most likely to refuse, and route every WIPO notice to your attorney. An international registration certificate does not mean any country has accepted the mark.
Assuming Madrid covers every market, or that maintenance is automatic
Applicants designate countries that are not members, such as Argentina or Taiwan, or assume China covers Hong Kong. Others assign the U.S. registration without recording the change at WIPO, miss country-specific use declarations, or pay fake "registration" invoices that imitate WIPO.
Coverage gaps · recordals · scamsConfirm membership before filing, record ownership changes with WIPO, and docket local use requirements. WIPO does not send invoices for publication or registration; check any payment request with your attorney.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Madrid registration an international trademark?
No. There is no single worldwide trademark. An international registration is a bundle of national rights, each examined and enforced under the law of the designated country, managed centrally through WIPO.
Can I file with WIPO directly?
No. U.S.-based applicants file through the USPTO as the office of origin. The USPTO certifies the application and forwards it to WIPO.
Do I need a U.S. registration first?
No. A pending U.S. application is enough to file. But until the U.S. filing registers and the five-year dependency period ends, the international registration can fall if the U.S. filing fails.
How long does it take?
WIPO usually records the international registration within weeks of receiving it. Each designated office then has 12 or 18 months to refuse. Without a refusal, protection is effective in that country.
Can I add countries later?
Yes. A subsequent designation adds countries to an existing international registration for a WIPO basic fee of CHF 300 plus the fees for each country added.
What happens if the U.S. basic mark is cancelled?
If it happens within five years of the international registration date, the international registration is cancelled to the same extent. The owner then has three months to transform each designation into a national application that keeps the original date.
How are Latin American and European brands affected?
They can use Madrid to extend their home registrations into the U.S. The USPTO examines those designations like any application and requires a U.S.-licensed attorney to answer refusals for foreign-domiciled owners. See Madrid: Designations of the U.S.
Ask whether Madrid fits your markets
Tell us where you sell, source, and manufacture, and the status of your U.S. filing. We will recommend which countries to cover through Madrid, which to file directly, and what each route is likely to cost.
- International applications through the USPTO
- Subsequent designations and WIPO recordals
- Coordination of local counsel for foreign refusals
- U.S. attorney of record for Madrid designations of the U.S.