PCT AI Section 705 — Home Copy, Record Copy and Search Copy Where International Application Is Filed in Electronic Form

Ninth Edition, Revision 01.2024

• (a) Where an international application is filed in electronic form as a wrapped and signed package in accordance with Annex F , the home copy and the record copy in relation to that application for the purposes of Article 12 shall each consist of a copy in electronic form of that package.
• (b) Where an international application is filed in electronic form but is not filed as a wrapped and signed package in accordance with Annex F , the home copy and the record copy in relation to that application for the purposes of Article 12 shall each consist of a copy in electronic form of the application as filed. If the application as filed was encrypted, the home copy and the record copy shall consist of the decrypted version. If the application as filed was infected by a virus or other form of malicious logic, the home copy and the record copy shall consist of the disinfected version.
• (c) Where the international application is filed in electronic form on a physical medium, the home copy and the record copy shall not include the physical medium, but the receiving Office shall, for the purposes of Rule 93.1 , retain the application as originally filed, together with the physical medium.
• (d) Where the International Searching Authority has notified the International Bureau in accordance with Rule 89bis.1(d) that it is prepared to process international applications in electronic form, paragraphs (a) and (b) apply mutatis mutandis to the search copy; otherwise, the search copy shall consist of a copy of the application printed on paper by the receiving Office.