Are the requirements for a patent application the same in each country?
No, every country has its own requirements for a patent application, especially relating to the state of the art. In Switzerland e.g. there is  for a patent application not such a distance to the state of the art necessary like in other European countries.
In USA you can make a patent application for a new software, in Europe this is not realizable. Therefore it makes sense to consult a local expert.