According to 37 CFR 1.9(a)(1), a national application is defined as: A U.S. application for patent filed in the USPTO under 35 U.S.C. 111 An international application filed under the Patent Cooperation Treaty in which the basic national fee under 35 U.S.C. 41(a)(1)(F) has been paid An international design application filed under the Hague Agreement in which the USPTO has received a copy of the international registration pursuant to Hague Agreement Article 10 This definition encompasses various types of patent applications that are treated as national applications by the USPTO.