First Action Interview (FAI)

First Action Interview (FAI)

The First Action Pilot has ended. The last day for requests to participate in the pilot was January 15, 2021. Any application with a request filed by that date which was compliant will be examined in accordance with the program provisions.

 

The First Action Interview Program is a pilot program whereby an applicant may request and will receive a first-action interview after a thorough search of the application has been conducted, but prior to the first official Office Action on the Merits (FAOM), in a new utility application.

Applications in the First Action Interview Program are not accorded a “special” status and are examined in order. For applications in this program, the examiner performs a search and then mails out a Pre-Interview Communication to the applicant, for which the examiner receives first action production credit. The Pre-Interview Communication is a condensed statement of the examiner’s proposed rejections based on the claims currently filed in the application.

 

First Action Interview Program Agreement 

See USPTO Intranet for further information.