Getting a patent can take two or three years after you file your application. This process, which is known as patent prosecution, may become longer and more complicated if your patent faces opposition, or if the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) asks for more information.

In the time between filing and issuance, a time known as patent prosecution, your application will navigate a number of stages and amass a wealth of official documents, often from multiple patent offices and with months or years between them.

The patent prosecution step can take months or years, depending on how stubborn the patent examiner is, how stubborn you are, and also how much financial resources you have to continue the legal process of pursuing a patent.