In order to validate European patent applications and patents in a validation state, an applicant has to submit a request for validation and pay the validation fees in due time, i.e. within 31 months from the date of filing (or the earliest priority date) or six months from the date of publication of the international search report, whichever is the later. A further requirement is that, on the international filing date, the validation agreement has to be in force and the validation state must both be a PCT contracting state and be designated for a national patent in the international application. Thus, a decision on the states for which validation is sought – and, in accordance therewith, timely payment of the validation fee(s) is due – need not be taken until the application enters the European phase (see points 5.8.012 ff).