In brief
On 10 June 2026, the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) announced further enhancements to the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) programme through two circulars: Patent Circular No. 2/2026, which introduces new initiatives to promote uptake of the PPH; and Patent Circular No. 3/2026, which clarifies how the Invitation to Amend (ITA) process applies to PPH and Global Patent Prosecution Highway (GPPH) applications.
These latest enhancements to the PPH offer faster and more efficient patent examination through partnerships with intellectual property offices from other jurisdictions.
In more detail
Singapore has built a global network of more than 30 PPH partners, including the IP offices of China, Japan, Korea, the United States, and the European Patent Office. IPOS is also part of the GPPH pilot programme, which has over 25 participating offices.
You may find out more about previous developments regarding the PPH in our client alerts from September 2025 and January 2025.
New initiatives to promote uptake of the PPH
To promote uptake of the PPH, IPOS has introduced two new initiatives by way of Patent Circular No. 2/2026:
- Accelerated first office action timelines: IPOS will endeavour to issue the first office action within six months from the date of the request to use the PPH. This applies to requests filed on or after 1 July 2026 and represents an improvement from the current average timeline of 10 months.
- Simplified payment process: For PPH requests filed from 3 August 2026 to 31 December 2027 (both dates inclusive) together with a new request for a search and/or examination report, applicants need only pay 70% of the prevailing official fees for the report. This streamlines the current arrangement under Patent Circular No. 4/2025, under which full fees must be paid upfront followed by a 30% refund thereafter.
Clarification on the ITA process for PPH or GPPH applications
An ITA is a notice issued by the Registrar inviting an applicant to amend its application to address prescribed matters identified during patent examination. It is issued in lieu of a written opinion and may be used, on a case-by-case basis, where the prescribed matters may be resolved with minor amendments or where there has already been prior communication between the applicant and the Examiner on the required amendments. An applicant has two months from the date of the ITA to respond, failing which the Examiner will issue a written opinion or examination report as applicable.
IPOS has updated its guidance on PPH and GPPH procedures to provide greater clarity on the issuance of ITAs during examination for PPH or GPPH applications. In particular, the updated resources reflect a more streamlined mechanism for submitting amendments to patent claims without the need to withdraw and refile requests for search and examination or examination reports.
Key takeaways
These enhancements underscore IPOS' continued efforts to position Singapore as a strategic filing hub for multi-jurisdictional patent protection. The initiatives are expected to expedite patent prosecution timelines; reduce overall prosecution costs; and facilitate more consistent patent protection across multiple jurisdictions.
The PPH sits within a wider ASEAN acceleration ecosystem. IPOS' continued investment in ASEAN Patent Examination Co-operation (ASPEC), the Collaborative Search and Examination (CS&E) programmes with Vietnam and Indonesia, and the re-registration routes with Cambodia and Laos, points to a deliberate strategy of leveraging Singapore-issued examination work product across the region. Multi-jurisdictional filers should view the PPH enhancements as one piece of a broader regional acceleration toolkit, rather than a standalone benefit.
PPH applications in Singapore already benefit from reduced prosecution time and costs for applicants, with IPOS reporting an average 94% grant rate for PPH applications in Singapore and a 70% grant rate for patents at first office action.
Notably, the shift from a "pay-and-refund" model to a 70% upfront fee is expressly described by IPOS in Patent Circular No. 2/2026 as a response to applicant and service provider feedback. This shows IPOS is increasingly willing to iterate on process based on stakeholder input – a useful signal for industry to keep engaging with IPOS on prosecution pain points.
For businesses, these developments reinforce Singapore's value proposition as a regional IP anchor — particularly for companies headquartered or regionalising in ASEAN. These changes are particularly significant in the current Singapore patent prosecution landscape, given that IPOS is reviewing the SG Patents Fast programme and has suspended acceptance of new acceleration requests under that programme from 4 January 2026 until further notice.
For applicants with corresponding allowable claims from a PPH or GPPH partner office, the enhanced PPH may therefore become an increasingly important route to accelerated examination in Singapore. However, applicants should plan carefully: the six-month first office action timeline is an endeavour rather than a guarantee; the 70% fee mechanism applies only in a defined period and only where the PPH request is filed together with a new request for a search and/or examination report; and applicants should be prepared to respond quickly if IPOS issues an ITA requiring claim-conforming amendments within a two-month period. It is therefore important to carefully plan your patent prosecution and filing strategy.
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