What is a right of priority?

You do not have to apply for a patent in different countries at the same time. If you apply for a Dutch patent first (with NL Patent Office), you still have twelve months from the filing date to file the same application in other countries. This is known as the right of priority. In the case of applying for a patent in other countries, the same filing date applies as that of the original application in the Netherlands.

Practically all countries that have a patent-granting authority recognise the right of priority.