Trademark registration process in Brazil is as follows:

After application for trademark registration in Brazil has been filed, INPI will conduct a basic assessment to make sure the trademark application meets formal requirements.

The trademark application will be published in the INPI’s official bulletin only if the minimum requirements are met. The publication is 60 days during which oppositions may be filed. If no opposition is filed, INPI will do a detailed examination of the application and decide whether the trademark can be registered in Brazil. INPI will examine the trademark for distinctiveness and also conduct a trademark search for similar trademarks. Unlike in Europe, if a similar trademark is found it can be a ground for trademark refusal by INPI. For this reason, it is wise to perform a clearance trademark search for confusingly similar trademarks.

What is interesting is that INPI does not communicate with the applicant in case the trademark is refused. Instead, the change of the application’s current status, request for payment of additional fees or further documents are published by INPI in the weekly bulletin. Therefore, the weekly bulletin must be checked on a regular basis and this is one of the reasons for having a local attorney handling the process.