On June 30, 2022, the USPTO’s new Director, Kathi Vidal, discussed the new identity verification requirements for filing of new trademark applications, commencing on August 6, 2022 (just in five days from now). The new ID verification follows from the Trademark Modernization Act and the USPTO’s crackdown on fraudulent trademark applications and fraud-upon-the-office issues which became rampant during the last few years (a more scholarly take on the fraud and trademark applications before the USPTO can be found here). The new identity verification will be required for all new trademark applications filed through TEAS and TEASi.
Whether or not these new identity verification requirement will actually cut down on fraudulent applications remains to be seen, but it is part of the USPTO’s overall strategy to fight trademark fraud.
We will continue to follow the implementation and progress as report back on the blog.