Laos: Certification/Notarization of documents no longer required as from June 26, 2023

In the government’s efforts to support the registration of intellectual property rights in Laos, the Laotian Department of Intellectual Property (DIP) has recently issued the official Notification no. 0973/DIP effective as of June 26, 2023 to revoke the requirements of certification/notarization for various documents such as certification/notarization on the original documents such as Power of Attorney, Deed of Inventorship, Assignment, Licensing, Declaration of Change of Name and/or Address, etc.

As stated in the Notification, the original documents will be required and the IP agents must be responsible before the law regarding the authenticity of these documents. In case of doubt, the DIP will take actions for verification in accordance with its competence.

With this new official easing of formality requirements, we believe that the IP registration procedures at the Laotian DIP will be shortened and less time-consuming for all applicants in general and foreign clients in particular.