ICANN will begin accepting applications for proposed new gTLDs from January 12, 2012, through April 12, 2012. Each application slot is for one gTLD. The entire process may last from 9 months to 20 depending on the difficulty of the application.

The application process consists of of four main parts:

•    Application Submission Period
•    Administrative Completeness Check
•    Initial Evaluation
•    Transition to Delegation

Key features of this application process are detailed below:

• Evaluation: An applicant will be required to provide information not only about the proposed gTLD but also about the applicant’s capability to operate a domain name registry. Although not all required information will be published, such information includes financial data about the applicant’s current and projected operations as well as detailed technical information about how the gTLD will be managed. The applicant must also set forth procedures to ensure that any associated second level domain (“.Brand” in “Brand.com”) registered under that gTLD does not violate another’s intellectual property rights. Among other things, the applicant must enable participation in the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (“UDRP”) and utilize a trademark clearinghouse to investigate names.

• International Characters: An applicant may propose gTLDs containing Chinese, Arabic, and any other non-Latin characters.

• Costs: ICANN has set an application fee of U.S. $185,000, plus annual renewal fees. Under some circumstances where multiple applicants seek the same gTLD, ICANN may auction the gTLD to the highest bidder. It should be borne in mind that ICANN’s fees neither include the costs associated with setting up and running a domain name registry nor the costs of litigation in the event of a challenge to the gTLD.

• Examination of IP Rights: ICANN’s application process does not include an examination of whether a proposed gTLD infringes on another’s intellectual property rights, such as trademarks. Instead, ICANN assumes that individual rights holders or parties with sufficient interest will object through a formal dispute resolution process.

• Dispute Resolution: Once ICANN publishes proposed gTLDs for public comment, non-applicants may pay a fee to be set by a dispute resolution provider, and the nature of the third-party objection will govern which dispute resolution provider presides.

• String Confusion Objections: Objections claiming that the new gTLD is confusingly similar to an existing gTLD or applied-for gTLD will be heard by the International Centre for Dispute Resolution.

• Legal Rights Objection: Objections claiming that the new gTLD infringes a trademark holder’s brands will be heard by the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

• Limited Public Interest Objection: Objections claiming that the new gTLD violates “generally accepted norms relating to morality and public order” will be heard by the International Center of Expertise of the International Chamber of Commerce.

• Community Interest Objections: Objections claiming that a “significant portion” of the community opposes the gTLD will be heard by the International Center of Expertise of the International Chamber of Commerce.