The String Similarity Evaluation can result in several outcomes:
- The applied-for string (or its variant string) is found identical or Visually Similar to an existing gTLD, an existing ccTLD, a Blocked Name, or a two-character ASCII string (or a variant string of the aforementioned string categories) – in such cases, the application will not proceed (unless this is a variant-only application from the registry operator of an existing gTLD).
- The applied-for string (or its variant string) is found identical or Visually Similar to another applied-for string (or its variant string) – in this case, the applications are placed into a contention set.
- The applied-for string (or its variant string) is found Visually Similar to an applied-for string from a previous round – in this case, the application will be put on hold and the evaluation outcome will depend on the progression of the application from the previous round.
- The applied-for string (or its variant string) is found identical or Visually Similar to a string requested as an IDN ccTLD (or its variant strings) – in this case, the evaluation outcome will depend on the progressions of both the applied-for gTLD string and requested IDN ccTLD string.
- The applied-for string (and its variant strings) are not found Visually Similar to any categories of the strings (and their variant strings) compared in the String Similarity Evaluation – in this case, the application can proceed to the next stage of the program.