There is a fast track according to the intellectual property attorney I know — it is a matter of, shall we say, appropriate payment. YMMV, but this is what I have been told by a professional in the field.
I was this || close to filing my first patent earlier this year. Then the covid thing happened. So I put it off as I had to focus on other matters. But I will file it this year. The app still needs some work/drafting/editing. Doing it myself, but following the format of an app filed by a megacorp (Different product but same basic genre so I figure I can just use theirs as a template).
But I got the domain and the trademark for the product filed, and it went unopposed so I just have to file the statement of use when I commercialize the product. Had to file a TM extension because I don’t want to launch the product before filing the patent app. It could invalidate the patent.
As I was told, filing it as a provisional does hold your place in line, and it actually covers most western countries for the durations. So you protect your position in Europe, US, Canada etc all via the provisional, then later you can file the full applications individually. Some quirk in the law. I am in no way anything close to an expert so don’t hold me to this. Not a lot of good patent lawyers out there - a lot of great ones ($$$$$) and a lot of crappy ones ($). Not many in between. But buying lunch got me some advice from 90 year old retired $$$$$ patent attorney who clued me in on a few things.