Large international brands choose to register their patents in Bahrain

Right-handed shape

• – Abdul Latif: Bahrain is the cheapest in the Gulf and internationally in terms of intellectual property fees
• – Companies specialized in providing intellectual property rights protection services in the Arabian Gulf

Some may find it somewhat strange that prestigious international brands, such as Ferrari for cars, Christian Dior for perfumes and accessories, Breguet for watches, and Chery for cars, register their patents in the Kingdom of Bahrain, and not in the country of headquarters from which this invention emerged. But the answer lies in the cost, as Bahrain is considered one of the least expensive countries in the world to register patents and protect intellectual property rights, and therefore major international companies seek to obtain registration from Bahrain.

Patents and intellectual property are usually published in the Official Gazette, and it was recently noted that a patent was registered for a sailboat by the Ferrari S company. With it. any. Dated December 18, 2025, and its address is Modena, Italy. Christian Dior Parfums, based in Paris, also registered a decorative design for tools for applying cosmetics. In February 2026, Montres Breguet SA, based in Switzerland, registered 3 designs for a watch and the bracelet for each watch separately. Chery Auto Co., an automobile company based in China, registered a car design. In April 2026, Torlen Holding SA also registered. Luxury Watches, based in Switzerland, designed the Ultimate “Watch” RM010. Within the scope of patents, other inventions are registered, such as the invention of treating a multi-phase fluid containing hydrocarbon in the production of oil and/or gas.

Regarding the relevant law, lawyer Zuhair Abdel Latif explained that Law No. “1” of 2004 was issued regarding patents, industrial designs and models, and Ministerial Resolution No. 54 of 2006 was issued issuing the executive regulations of the law, which includes procedures for submitting applications and registering patents, the documents and certificates necessary to submit the application, and the requirements and specifications of the invention, such as the name of the patent, its detailed description, and elements of protection, and special drawings and explanations, or samples and analyzes of related inventions are attached to them. In the chemical or food field. Abdul Latif pointed to the authority responsible for registering patents, which is the Industrial Property Department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which issues a special bulletin for patents. He said that the fees include: fees for filing an application, examination, publication, and granting, in addition to the annual “sustainability” fees that must be paid annually to maintain the patent, which may increase annually. Patent registration is lost if the fees are not paid, and Bahrain is considered one of the lowest countries in the world in intellectual property fees.

In 2023, an important change was made to the fee system in Bahrain with the aim of supporting individual innovators, with the issuance of “Ministerial Resolution No. 67 of 2023”, whereby the Ministry of Industry and Commerce radically reduced the official fees for registering patents for individuals only, and the amendment entered into force on September 22, 2023. This means that while corporate fees remain at 540 dinars, the individual pays only 40 dinars to request registration, and this decision has received attention. It is widely distributed in specialized reports as a pioneering step to enhance innovation and protect intellectual property.

Conditions for granting a patent:

A patent is granted for an invention that meets the following conditions:

1. The invention must be new and unprecedented.2. It should not be clear to anyone who has experience in the field.3. Industrial applicability such that it can be made or used in any type of industrial activity.

The period of protection for the invention is 20 years from the date of granting the patent, and after approval to register the patent, its details are published in the monthly “Industrial Property Bulletin” issued by the Industrial Property Department of the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

– Patent fees in the Arab Gulf countries:

Bahrain is considered the lowest in terms of patent fees, amounting to about 3,766 US dollars, followed by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with an average of 2,744 dollars, then the United Arab Emirates with an approximate value of 545 dollars (for application submission fees only), and the Sultanate of Oman with an average of between 182 and 364 dollars (for application submission and examination fees only), and finally Kuwait with about 26,114 dollars.

The fees for submitting the application and the formal examination in Bahrain are between 40 and 540, the substantive examination is between 250 and 560, the granting and publication of a patent is between 50 and 320 dinars, and the annual fee for the “second year” is 100 to 200 dinars, and the effective period of 20 years applies after publication in the Official Gazette. In Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property is responsible for registering patents, and the total number of patent applications has reached During 2025, approximately 10,300 applications, an increase of 28% over 2024.

In the UAE, the Ministry of Economy is responsible for registration, and the number of active patents reaches 6,500, while fees for applying for a new patent range between 1,000 – 2,000 UAE dirhams.

In the Sultanate of Oman, the Intellectual Property Department of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is concerned with this matter, and the approximate fees for submitting the application are between 50 – 100 Omani riyals, and the formal examination fees are between 20 – 40 Omani riyals, and may vary depending on the type of applicant and the specific procedures.

In Kuwait, the fees for applying for a patent range from 1,500 to 3,000 Kuwaiti dinars, and the fees for publishing and granting a patent range from 2,500 to 5,000 Kuwaiti dinars, while the annual fee ranges between 2,000 – 4,000 dinars, noting that the annual fees gradually increase every year.

Regarding fees, when submitting the application, they range between 400 – 800 Saudi riyals, the substantive examination fees range from 7,500 – 7,500 Saudi riyals, and the publication fees are 2,000 Saudi riyals, in addition to other administrative fees.

To arrive at an approximate size of intellectual property and patent revenues, the total fees for all intellectual property services (including trademarks) in Kuwait amounted to about 6.69 million Kuwaiti dinars in 2025, of which 615.8 thousand dinars were specifically for patents.

– Agents specialized in protecting intellectual property rights:

The most prominent companies specialized in providing intellectual property rights protection services in the Arabian Gulf region are the following:

– Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property, which has offices in all countries of the Arabian Gulf. – Abdulaziz Al Subaie Group of Law and Legal Consultations, operating in Kuwait. – “Jitendra Intellectual Property (JIP): It has a presence in Bahrain, Qatar, and Oman. – ATB Global Patent and Trade Marks Agents: in the Emirates. – Mawten Solutions Company: in Saudi Arabia. – Gulf IP Protection Intellectual Property: in Oman.