GCC Trademark Registration: a Guide to Power of Attorney Requirements

Brand owners registering a trademark in the GCC region are required to submit the Power of Attorney (PoA). The requirement of a PoA mainly applies to foreign companies that need to appoint a local trademark agent. In the GCC countries, foreign companies can apply for a trademark only through local representatives. This makes the PoA a pivotal document when it comes to trademark registration in the GCC countries.

The PoA is mandated by the GCC countries for trademark registration as the document provides legal certainty that the owner has authorized the trademark application filing in their name. In most GCC countries you need to ensure notarization followed by legalization to ascertain the legal certainty. Let us discuss what are the mandatory PoA requirements in GCC countries:

Power of Attorney Requirements in Saudi Arabia

PoA is a mandatory requirement for registering a trademark in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The PoA should be filed with the full name and address of the applicant, duly notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Consulate. However, a single general PoA is enough for filing simultaneous and any future trademark applications in Suadi Arabia.

For renewals and assignment applications, the PoA must be notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Consulate. For a change of Name and/or Address Applications, the legalized PoA must be submitted showing the new name and/or address. For License Applications, the PoA must be notarized and legalized up to the Saudi Consulate.

Power of Attorney Requirements in Kuwait

Foreign brand owners planning to register their trademarks in Kuwait are required to appoint a local trademark agent or attorney. It means they need to present a PoA to submit the application for trademark registration in Kuwait. The PoA should be legalised up to the consulate of Kuwait to get your trademarks registered in Kuwait. You must require a PoA for the following purposes as well:

• Trademark Renewal: the PoA must be legalized up to the Kuwait consul.
• Assignment Applications: The PoA must be executed by the assignee legalized up to the Kuwaiti Consulate
• Change of Name/Address Applications: The PoA must be executed in the new name and/or address legalized up to the Kuwaiti Consulate

Power of Attorney Requirements in Oman

Oman is one of the leading countries in the GCC that demands the use of a PoA for trademark registration. Foreign brand owners need to appoint a trademark agent or attorney as their representative to apply for trademark registration. The PoA for trademark registration in Oman must be signed, notarized and legalized either by the Apostille or legalized by the Consulate of Oman. Oman Trademark Office allows the use of one PoA for filing multiple applications in the name of the same applicant.

• Renewal: A Power of Attorney signed, notarized and legalized either by the Apostille or legalized by the Consulate of Oman via courier, in case we are not already in possession of a legalized one.
• Recording an Assignment: A Power of Attorney signed by the assignee, legalized either by the Apostille or legalized by the Consulate of Oman.
• Recording Change of Name and Address: Power of Attorney signed, notarized and legalized either by the Apostille or legalized by the Consulate of Oman

Recording an Assignment: A Power of Attorney signed by the assignee, legalized either by the Apostille or legalized by the Consulate of Oman.

Power of Attorney Requirements in Bahrain

PoA is mandatory for foreign applicants to carry out trademark registration in Bahrain. The PoA should be signed by an authorised signatory of the applicant and legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille. Apart from trademark registration, you need to submit a PoA for the following purposes as well:

• Renewal: The PoA is signed in the name of the registered owner, legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille
• Recordal of Assignment: PoA must be signed by an authorized signatory of the Assignee and must be legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille
• Recordal of change of name and/ or address: PoA reflecting the new name and/ or address signed by an authorized signatory and legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille
• Recordal of the license agreement: PoA signed by the trademark registered owner (Licensor), which must be legalized up to the Bahraini Consulate or authenticated by an Apostille

Power of Attorney Requirements in Qatar

Foreign companies applying for trademark registration in Qatar should submit a PoA for appointing trademark agents or attorneys. The PoA must be duly legalized up to Qatar Consulate from the applicant’s country. For renewals, the PoA needs to be legalized up to the Qatari Consulate or any other Arab consulate.

For changing the name/ address, the PoA should be legalized up to the Qatari Consulate or any other Arab consulate in the new name and/or address. The PoA should be legalized up to the Qatari Consulate or any other Arab consulate for agency agreements. The PoA should be legalized up to the Qatari Consulate or any other Arab consulate by the Licensee for License Agreement Applications.

Power of Attorney Requirements in the UAE

As per the existing practices of trademark registration in the UAE, the foreign applicants are allowed to file a trademark application with a simply signed PoA along with an undertaking to file the legalized and attested POA within 90 days from the date the application is filed. Trademark agents in the UAE can help brand owners with the requirements.

How can Jitendra Intellectual Property Help you?

The PoA is one of the most important documents foreign companies need to submit when it comes to trademark registration in the GCC region. It is also a prerequisite for other processes such as renewals, licensing, change of ownership and recordal of assignments. Each country in the GCC region may have different PoA requirements for which trademark agents in the UAE such as Jitendra Intellectual Property (JIP) can advise you. JIP has a highly qualified team providing bespoke trademark services across the GCC countries. Consult with our team today to ensure your trademark is secure in all the GCC countries.