Copyright protection is automatically granted as soon as a work is created – there’s no need to officially register it. In fact, many countries don’t even have a formal copyright registry.
Thanks to the Berne Convention, a work protected by copyright in one member country is also protected in all other countries that have signed the agreement.
If someone copies or uses your work without permission, you’ll need to prove you own the copyright. This proof might include a signed statement (like an affidavit) from you, declaring that you are the original creator.
Even though registering a copyright isn’t required, some countries and organizations do offer voluntary copyright registration.
These services provide certificates that can help prove who owns the work and when it was created.
In most cases, if you submit all the necessary documents correctly, you can expect to receive a copyright certificate within one to three months.
The table below provides a quick overview of where copyright registration services are available in Asia and other popular countries:
Asia: Country (region)-by-Country (region) Guide
| Country / Region | Where to Register | Why Register? |
| Afghanistan | Ministry of Information and Culture | Optional, but useful as proof of ownership. |
| China | China Copyright Protection Center (CCPC) | Optional, but highly recommended—especially for software. Helps prove ownership in court. |
| India | Copyright Office of India | Optional, but helps establish ownership and can be used in legal cases. |
| Indonesia | Directorate General of Intellectual Property | Optional, but strongly advised. Helps in copyright disputes. |
| Japan | Agency for Cultural Affairs | Optional, but helps prove facts in court. |
| South Korea | Korea Copyright Commission | Optional, but useful to prove ownership and when the work was created. |
| Malaysia | Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia | Optional, but helps show who owns the work and when it was created. Useful in court. |
| Pakistan | Copyright Office (IPO of Pakistan) | Optional, but provides official proof of ownership. |
| Philippines | National Library of the Philippines | Optional. A certificate is issued to confirm the work was registered and deposited. |
| Taiwan (Not a Berne Convention member) | (1) Taiwan Copyright Association; (2) TEDR | Optional. Helps prove ownership and date of creation. TEDR charges annual fees from the 2nd year onward or they’ll delete the work file. |
| Thailand | Department of Intellectual Property | Optional, but provides official proof of ownership. |
| Vietnam | Copyright Office of Vietnam | Optional, but provides official proof of ownership. |
Other Popular Countries
| Country | Where to Register | Why Register? |
| Canada | Canadian Intellectual Property Office | Optional. Helps prove ownership in case of infringement. |
| USA | United States Copyright Office | Optional, but required to sue in U.S. federal court. U.S. creators need to register before suing. Foreign creators must register to sue and to claim compensations. |
| France | National Institute of Industrial Property; OR SACD (for drama), SACEM (for music) | Optional. SACD and SACEM also help collect royalties for members. |
| Portugal | General Inspection of Cultural Activities | Optional. Provides official proof of ownership. |
| Spain | Spanish Intellectual Property Registry | Optional. Helps prove you own your work. |
How We Can Help
We can help you draft affidavits or declarations to prove you own your work. Our Shanghai office has a direct account with the China Copyright Protection Center, so we can help you filing copyright registration in China quickly and easily.
