Copyright | Chang Tsi & Partners

Chang Tsi & Partners provides copyright registration, protection and advisory services across Asia. Our team has extensive experience with the legal and regulatory frameworks of Asian jurisdictions and works closely with our regional network to protect clients’ copyrights and related IP rights.

Frequently Asked Questions

	Methods of Treatments	Extension of Patent Term Available	Substantive Examination	Computer Programs Patentable	Surcharges Payable	Languages
China	Not Allowed	No	Yes	No	Yes	English
Hong Kong	Pharmaceutical products not patentable	No	Yes	No	Yes	French & Arabic
Taiwan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Macao	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Vietnam	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Singapore	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Japan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Philippines	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
South Korea	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Thailand	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
United Arab Emirates	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
India	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Pakistan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Sri Lanka	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Kazakhstan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Uzbekistan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Iraq	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Iran	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
North Korea	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Nepal	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Myanmar	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Mongolia	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Armenia	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Georgia	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Tajikistan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Kyrgyzstan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Republic of Maldives	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Azerbaijan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Palestine	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Laos	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Brunei	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Cambodia	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Turkmenistan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Yemen	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Jordan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Saudi Arabia	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Qatar	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Kuwait	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Bahrain	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Syria	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Lebanon	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Israel	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Oman	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Afghanistan	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Malaysia	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Bangladesh	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Timor-Leste	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Cyprus	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes
Palestine	Yes	Yes	No	No	3 Years	Yes

FAQs

Q
Documents for Paris Convention priority applications in Asia?

A

Necessary documents: 1) Priority document 2) Certified English translation (for China/Japan) 3) Declaration of priority. Korea allows late priority claims within 2 months. India requires verified priority documents within 3 months.
Q
What are the novelty requirements in Asia?

A

Absolute novelty standard in China/Japan/Korea. India allows 12-month grace period for disclosures. ASEAN countries generally follow absolute novelty but enforcement varies. Prior art includes worldwide publications and some countries consider prior use.
Q
Patent term and maintenance fee schedules in Asia?

A

Standard 20-year term applies regionally. China/Japan require annual fees, while Korea uses 3-year cycles. India has unique "working" requirement with Form 27. Pharmaceutical patents may get term extensions in Japan/Korea.

Q
What documents are required for ordinary patent applications in Asia?

A

Basic requirements include: 1) Specification with claims 2) Drawings 3) Abstract. China and Korea require Chinese/Korean translations. Japan accepts English applications but requires translation within 14 months. India mandates Form 1-5 submissions.

Q
Requirements for PCT national phase entry in Asia?

A

Standard documents: 1) PCT publication 2) International Search Report 3) Amendments (if any). China requires full Chinese translation within 30 months. Japan/Korea allow 30-month entry with English applications. India has strict biological material deposit requirements.

Why Us

As a standing council member of the Copyright Society of China, Chang Tsi has developed a comprehensive copyright practice covering registration, licensing, enforcement, contract management, copyright transactions, platform compliance and digital content protection.

We advise on a broad range of content, including text, images, film and television, animation, music, software, UI and other digital content. We also provide forward-looking advice on emerging areas such as generative AI, NFTs, short-video platforms and digital collectibles.

Copyright Registration & Protection: We handle copyright registration for a wide range of works and computer software and develop tailored protection strategies for different types of content. Our team assists clients in establishing and documenting rights across Asian jurisdictions.

Infringement Monitoring & Enforcement: We monitor infringement on digital platforms and assess risks associated with short-form video and AI-generated content. Our services include market investigations, evidence collection, administrative and judicial remedies, infringement litigation, online enforcement and platform takedowns.

Contracts, Transactions & Compliance: We draft, review and negotiate copyright assignment and licensing agreements and provide IP due diligence for copyright transactions. We also advise on digital content compliance, including emerging issues involving generative AI, NFTs and digital collectibles, helping clients manage legal risks as technologies and business models evolve.

Customs Protection & Training: We assist with copyright customs recordal and provide customs-related brand and IP protection training, helping clients prevent infringing content from entering cross-border trade channels.