Barbados belongs to the following patent-related international treaties:

• Paris Convention
• Patent Cooperation Treaty ("PCT")
• TRIPS
• Other: Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization

Inventions protections available in Barbados include:

• Inventions

The following subject matter is excluded from patent protection in Barbados:

• Methods of medical treatment or diagnosis
• Computer programs
• Business methods
• Other: Discoveries, scientific theories and mathematical methods; schemes, rules or methods for performing acts of a mental nature only, or the playing of games; surgical or therapeutic treatments; plant and animal varieties, biological processes (other than plant microbiological processes and their products); immoral or environmentally prejudicial inventions.

Required documents and information required for filing a national patent application in Barbados include:

• Name and address of the applicant(s)
• Name and address of the inventor(s)
• Specification (description, claims and drawings)
• Abstract
• Power of Attorney
• Deed of Assignment
• Other: Assignment must be legalized. All documents to be in English or accompanied by an English translation.

No, it is not possible to request early publication or deferment of publication in Barbados.

Yes, the applicant has a provisional right upon the publication of an application in Barbados.

It is possible to file voluntary amendments in Barbados at the following times:

• At the time of entry into the national phase (for PCT application)
• At any time during prosecution
• Other: Amendment is only permitted if it does not alter the disclosure contained in the application.

No, it is not required to file a request for substantive examination in Barbados. 

No, there is no third-party opposition procedure upon publication or after grant in Barbados.

The time period from application to grant in Barbados is typically, more than four years, although, there are no fixed deadlines.

No, there is no process for accelerated examination of an application in Barbados. 

Yes, it is required to pay an annuity to maintain the validity of a patent in Barbados. 

Yes, late payment of an annuity is permissible in Barbados. Annuities are due beginning from the second year after the first filing date. There is a grace period of six months after the due date, to which a penalty is applied.

Available enforcement methods in Barbados include:

• Civil enforcement
• Criminal enforcement

The period for entry into the national phase for a PCT application is 30 months.