In a final rule published in the Federal Register on 20 March 2026 (following a proposed rule from December 2025), the USPTO will soon be mandating that all foreign-domiciled patent applicants, inventors, and patent owners be represented by a USPTO-registered patent practitioner. Effective July 20, 2026, this applies to all papers post-initial filing, including ADS, amendments, IDS, petitions, and micro entity certifications.

“Domicile” means permanent legal residence (individuals) or principal place of business (entities). Mixed-domicile groups require representation if at least one party is foreign-domiciled. Juristic entity owners also need practitioners.

This change aligns the US with global norms—nearly every other IP office requires foreign parties to use locally registered representatives—and addresses USPTO concerns over efficiency (pro se burdens pendency), compliance (professional conduct rules), and fraud (e.g., false micro entity claims).

For those who do not comply with the rule change, the USPTO will send notices for non-compliance.

If you are in need of a USPTO-registered patent practitioner, please feel free to contact us. Our attorneys are happy to be of assistance.