Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
The Paris Convention allows an inventor to file an initial 'priority' patent application and then to file foreign patent applications on the basis of that 'priority' application up to 1 year later. This year gives the inventor time to evaluate the invention before committing to the expense of filing foreign patent applications.
