The filing date of the application is the date on which the IPI receives the request for the grant of a Swiss patent, the description of the invention and the name of the applicant. The maximum term for a Swiss patent is calculated from this filing date.
Please note that after the filing date, no new information may be added to the description of the invention.
An address for service in Switzerland or Liechtenstein is required. Please use the application form (in German, French and Italian); this will assist in the smooth processing of your request.

...the following should be submitted three months after the filing date at the latest:

• At least one patent claim defining the invention
• Technical drawings of reproducible quality
• An abstract
• A translation of the technical documents in one of the official Swiss languages (German, French or Italian) if the documents are not being submitted in one of the official languages or in English

...the following should be submitted 16 months after the priority date at the latest:

• A declaration of any international priority rights being claimed as well as the priority document(s)
• The names and addresses of all inventors involved (in German, French and Italian)
• Any waivers by individual inventors to being named
• A translation of the technical documents in one of the official Swiss languages (German, French or Italian) if the documents have been submitted in English

The official Swiss language selected at the time of filing the patent application determines the language of the procedure. Any communication between the IPI and the patent applicant or his representative must be done in this language.

In addition to the application form, we recommend submitting the completed Designation of inventor form (pdf) (in German, French and Italian).
Individual inventors can decide to forgo having their name published. In such a case, the name of the inventor does not appear in the patent application.

You can submit a patent application to the IPI in paper form. In addition to the completed request form and the designation of inventor form, you must also enclose three identical copies of the technical documents and, if applicable, their translations in the language of the procedure. The filing date is then the date of the Swiss postmark or the date it is received at the IPI.