Privacy Policy

1) Who We Are & Scope

This Policy applies to our Services worldwide. We are a private visa facilitation company based in Singapore. We are not affiliated with the Government of India or any embassy/consulate.

For GDPR purposes, IVC is the data controller of personal data processed under this Policy. For PDPA purposes, IVC is the organization that collects, uses, and discloses personal data.

2) Information We Collect

We collect information in three ways: (a) you provide it to us, (b) we collect it automatically when you use the Services, and (c) we receive it from third parties.

a) Information You Provide Directly

Depending on the visa category, country rules, and your interactions with us, you may provide:

• Identification & Contact: name, email, phone, address.
• Travel Details: purpose of visit, arrival date, port of arrival, itinerary.
• Passport & Identity: passport number, dates of issue/expiry, place of issue, photo, nationality, date/city/country of birth, gender.
• Family & Background: family member names/relationships where required by forms.
• Professional Details: occupation, employer name/address, work history (if requested by forms).
• Sensitive or Special Categories (only if required by the visa form/law): religion; ethnicity; government ID numbers (e.g., passport number); in rare cases, criminal/immigration history questions required by authorities.
• Financial & Payment: billing information, transaction details (processed via payment providers — we do not store full card numbers).
• Communications & Support: messages, survey responses, phone recordings (where lawful), and attachments (e.g., documents/photos).

We only request data that is relevant and necessary for the Services or required by law/visa authorities.

b) Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Services, we may automatically collect:

• Device/Usage Data: IP address; general location (inferred from IP); device identifiers; browser type/language; operating system; pages viewed; time on page; clicks; referrer/exit pages; error logs; frequency of visits; and site performance data.
• Interaction Signals: mouse movement and scrolling (to improve UX and detect fraud). We do not capture keystroke content.

We use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to remember preferences, analyze traffic, enhance security, and personalize content. See Section 6 (Cookies & Similar Technologies).

c) Information From Third Parties

We may receive information from:

• Payment processors (payment status, limited billing info).
• Anti-fraud and security partners.
• Analytics and marketing partners (aggregated/pseudonymized insights).
• Social media (if you engage with our official profiles — subject to your platform settings).
• Government portals or authorized agents (status updates/requirements, where applicable).

We may combine information from different sources to provide and improve the Services, in line with this Policy.

3) How We Use Personal Information (Purposes & Legal Bases)

We use personal information to:

• Provide the Services: prepare, review, and submit India e-Visa applications; manage your account; deliver documents and status updates; enable payments; respond to requests. (Legal bases: contract; legitimate interests; consent where required.)
• Communicate with You: service emails/SMS/WhatsApp about application status, document reminders, and changes to requirements. (Contract; legitimate interests; consent where required.)
• Improve & Secure the Services: analytics, troubleshooting, fraud prevention, system monitoring, quality assurance, training, and product development. (Legitimate interests.)
• Personalize Experience & Marketing: remember preferences; present relevant content; send optional newsletters/updates/offers (you can unsubscribe anytime). (Legitimate interests; consent where required.)
• Compliance & Legal: KYC/AML screenings if applicable; record-keeping; audit; responding to lawful requests from authorities; enforcing our terms; protecting rights, safety, and property. (Legal obligation; legitimate interests; vital interests in rare emergencies.)

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time; this won't affect prior processing lawfully carried out before withdrawal.

4) When We Disclose Information

We disclose personal information only as needed for the purposes above, including to:

• Service Providers/Processors: hosting, cloud storage, customer support tools, email/SMS/WhatsApp delivery, analytics, fraud prevention, payment processing, and document logistics — under contracts requiring confidentiality and appropriate safeguards.
• Government Portals/Authorized Agents: to submit your India e-Visa application or respond to official queries, strictly as required.
• Professional Advisors & Insurers: legal, compliance, tax, audit, insurance.
• Corporate Transactions: if we undergo merger, acquisition, financing, or asset transfer (your data may be transferred as part of the transaction subject to this Policy).
• Legal/Protection: where required by law, subpoena, court/agency order, or to protect our rights, users, or the public.
• With Your Direction/Consent: e.g., if you ask us to coordinate with a third party.

We do not sell personal information. We may share limited data with analytics/advertising partners as described in Section 7 (Analytics & Tailored Advertising), subject to your choices.

5) International Transfers

We operate from Singapore with global infrastructure and partners. Your information may be processed in Singapore, India, the EU/UK, the U.S., and other countries where our trusted providers are located. We implement appropriate safeguards (e.g., contractual clauses, due diligence, access controls, encryption in transit and at rest where feasible) to protect your data consistent with PDPA, GDPR, and other applicable laws. By using the Services, you consent (where required) to such international transfers.

6) Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use cookies, pixels, tags, and local storage to:

• Remember your preferences and session.
• Keep your session secure.
• Analyze site usage and performance.
• Improve forms and reduce abandonment.
• Personalize content and measure marketing effectiveness.

Your Choices:

You can set your browser to notify you about cookies or to block some/all cookies. Blocking may impact functionality (e.g., saving progress, staying signed in). For guidance, see your browser's Help section (e.g., Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge). You can also use opt-out tools listed in Section 7.

We may update our cookie practices as technologies evolve.

7) Analytics & Tailored Advertising

We use analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand how the Services are used and to improve performance and user experience. We may also use privacy-respecting advertising technologies to show relevant content.

• Analytics Opt-Out: You can install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On.
• Interest-Based Ads Choices: Visit industry pages such as the Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) Consumer Opt-Out and Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) Consumer Opt-Out to manage interest-based advertising choices.
• Important: You may still see non-personalized ads if you opt out. Opt-outs are browser/device-specific; clearing cookies can reset your preferences.

Do Not Track (DNT): Industry standards for DNT are not uniform; we currently do not respond to DNT signals.

8) Your Rights & Choices

Your privacy rights depend on your location and applicable law. Subject to limitations and verification, you may have the right to:

• Access your personal information and obtain a copy.
• Rectify incomplete or inaccurate information.
• Delete certain information (subject to legal/operational exceptions).
• Restrict or object to certain processing.
• Port data you provided to us in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent.
• Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (see below).

How to Exercise Your Rights:

Contact us at info@ivcvisas.com with the subject line "Privacy Request" and tell us what right you want to exercise. We may ask for information to verify your identity and jurisdiction. We will respond in accordance with applicable law.

Supervisory Authorities:

• Singapore PDPC: https://www.pdpc.gov.sg/
• EU/UK: You may contact your local Data Protection Authority. We encourage you to contact us first; we will do our best to resolve your concern.

9) Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes in this Policy, including to submit and support your visa application, meet legal, tax, and accounting requirements, resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. Typical retention periods for visa application records are driven by regulatory requirements and risk management practices.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it in line with our retention schedules. You may request more details about retention relevant to your case.

10) Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards proportionate to the sensitivity of the data, including access controls, encryption in transit, network monitoring, and role-based permissions. However, no system is 100% secure. You are responsible for securing your devices, safeguarding your account credentials, and ensuring your email filters allow delivery of our messages (including your visa grant notice).

11) Children's Privacy

The Services are not intended for individuals under 18. Please do not provide personal information for anyone under 18 unless required and authorized by law with proper parental/guardian consent. If you believe a child under 18 has provided personal information to us without valid authorization, contact us at info@ivcvisas.com and we will take appropriate steps.

12) AI Assistance Transparency

We may use AI-enabled tools to assist with FAQs, form guidance, and data validation. AI outputs can sometimes be incomplete or inaccurate. Do not rely solely on AI for decisions that materially affect your eligibility or travel; please confirm with a human agent. AI responses do not necessarily represent IVC's views. Any third-party resources surfaced by AI are not endorsements.

13) Communications Preferences

• Service Communications: You agree we may contact you via email/SMS/WhatsApp for application updates, document requests, and service notifications.
• Marketing: You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time via the link in the email. We may still send essential service messages.
• Saved/Paused Applications: If you start but do not finish an application, we may send reminders to help you resume.

14) Third-Party Sites & Services

Our Services may link to third-party websites or services. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. We are not responsible for third-party content, security, or data handling. Please review those policies before engaging.

15) Cross-Border & Country-Specific Compliance

We serve applicants globally. We comply with Singapore PDPA, EU/UK GDPR, and other applicable data protection laws where required. Where local law mandates specific notices, consents, or rights, we will honor them to the extent applicable and technically feasible. If a local rule conflicts with this Policy, the local rule prevails to the extent of the conflict.

16) Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy to reflect legal, technical, or business changes. The "Last Updated" date shows when the latest changes took effect. Material changes will be highlighted on the website or via email where appropriate. Your continued use of the Services after changes means you accept the updated Policy.

17) Contact Us

For faster handling of privacy rights requests, please include "Privacy Request" in the subject line and specify your country of residence.

Quick Summary (Plain English)

• We collect only what's needed to process your India e-Visa and operate our Services.
• We use your data to provide services, keep you updated, improve security, and comply with the law.
• We share data with trusted providers (e.g., hosting, payments, messaging) and government portals only as needed.
• You have privacy rights (access, correct, delete, object, etc.) depending on your country.
• We secure your data with industry-standard measures, but no system is perfect.
• We comply with PDPA, GDPR, and other relevant laws where applicable.
• You can reach us anytime at info@ivcvisas.com.