Except as provided in §§ 7.23 and 7.24, requests to record changes to an international registration must be filed with the International Bureau. If a request to record an assignment or restriction of a holder's right of disposal of an international registration or the release of such a restriction meets the requirements of § 7.23 or 7.24, the Office will forward the request to the International Bureau. Section 10 of the Act and part 3 of this chapter are not applicable to assignments or restrictions of international registrations.

A request to record an assignment of an international registration may be submitted through the Office for forwarding to the International Bureau only if the assignee cannot obtain the assignor's signature for the request to record the assignment.

(a) A request to record an assignment submitted through the Office must include all of the following:

(1) The international registration number;

(2) The name and address of the holder of the international registration;

(3) The name and address of the assignee of the international registration;

(4) A statement that the assignee: Is a national of the United States; has a domicile in the United States; or has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in the United States. Where an assignee's address is not in the United States, the assignee must provide the address of its U.S. domicile or establishment;

(5) A statement, signed and verified (sworn to) or supported by a declaration under § 2.20 of this chapter, that, for the request to record the assignment, either the assignee could not obtain the assignor's signature because the holder no longer exists, or, after a good-faith effort, the assignee could not obtain the assignor's signature;

(6) An indication that the assignment applies to the designation to the United States or an international registration that is based on a U.S. application or registration;

(7) A statement that the assignment applies to all the goods and/or services in the international registration, or if less, a list of the goods and/or services in the international registration that have been assigned that pertain to the designation to the United States; and

(8) The U.S. transmittal fee required by § 7.6.

(b) If a request to record an assignment contains all the elements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section, the Office will forward the request to the International Bureau. Forwarding the request to the International Bureau is not a determination by the Office of the validity of the assignment or the effect that the assignment has on the title of the international registration.

(c) If the request fails to contain all the elements set forth in paragraph (a) of this section, the Office will not forward the request to the International Bureau. The Office will notify the assignee(s) of the reason(s). If the assignee paid the fees to record the assignment (see § 7.7) through the Office, the Office will refund the recording fee. The Office will not refund the transmittal fee.

(d) Correspondence to correct any irregularities in a request to record an assignment must be made directly with the International Bureau.

(a) A party who obtained a security interest or other restriction of a holder's right to dispose of an international registration, or the release of such a restriction, may submit a request to record the restriction or release through the Office for forwarding to the International Bureau only if:

(1) The restriction or release:

(i) Is the result of a court order; or

(ii) Is the result of an agreement between the holder of the international registration and the party restricting the holder's right of disposal, and the signature of the holder cannot be obtained for the request to record the restriction or release;

(2) The party who obtained the restriction is a national of, is domiciled in, or has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in the United States; and

(3) The restriction or release applies to the holder's right to dispose of the international registration in the United States.

(b) A request to record a restriction or the release of a restriction must be submitted by the party who obtained the restriction of the holder's right of disposal and include all the following:

(1) The international registration number;

(2) The name and address of the holder of the international registration;

(3) The name and address of the party who obtained the restriction;

(4) A statement that the party who submitted the request: Is a national of the United States; has a domicile in the United States; or has a real and effective industrial or commercial establishment in the United States. Where a party's address is not in the United States, the party must provide the address of its U.S. domicile or establishment;

(5)(i) A statement that the restriction is the result of a court order, or

(ii) Where the restriction is the result of an agreement between the holder of the international registration and the party restricting the holder's right of disposal, a statement, signed and verified (sworn to) or supported by a declaration under § 2.20 of this chapter, that, for the request to record the restriction, or release of the restriction, either the holder of the international registration could not obtain the signature of the party restricting the holder's right of disposal because the party restricting the holder's right of disposal no longer exists, or, after a good-faith effort, the holder of the international registration could not obtain the signature of the party restricting the holder's right of disposal;

(6) A summary of the main facts concerning the restriction;

(7) An indication that the restriction, or the release of the restriction, of the holder's right of disposal of the international registration applies to the designation to the United States or an international registration that is based on a U.S. application or registration; and

(8) The U.S. transmittal fee required by § 7.6.

(c) If a request to record a restriction, or the release of a restriction, contains all the elements set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, the Office will forward the request to the International Bureau. Forwarding the request to the International Bureau is not a determination by the Office of the validity of the restriction, or its release, or the effect that the restriction has on the holder's right to dispose of the international registration.

(d) If the request fails to contain all the elements set forth in paragraph (b) of this section, the Office will not forward the request. The Office will notify the party who submitted the request of the reason(s). The Office will not refund the transmittal fee.

(e) Correspondence to correct any irregularities in a request to record a restriction of a holder's right to dispose of an international registration or the release of such a restriction must be made directly with the International Bureau.