Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 25, 2023

Introduction

This Privacy Notice explains how TVSHelper and its worldwide companies & subsidiaries ('TVSHelper,' 'we,' or 'us') handles your personal information. As well as visa application processing services, we may also provide additional related services to the visa applicant. This privacy notice explains how we process personal data in relation to those additional services.

We may change this Notice from time to time so please check this page occasionally to ensure that you're happy with any changes.

TVSHelper processes your personal data in compliance with the applicable legal requirements and, in particular, the Egyptian General Data Protection Regulation 2020 and the European General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 ('GDPR') dated on April 27, 2016, applicable as of May 25th, 2018 in the European Union.

This Privacy Notice applies to all TVSHelper services and by using our services you acknowledge having been informed that TVSHelper collects, uses and discloses your personal data in accordance with this Privacy Notice.

Who Are We?

TVSHelper is an outsourcing and technology services specialist for providing the travel visa service to its customers around the world. We are authorized to receive requests for various categories of visa, permit and travel document and to perform administrative and non-judgmental tasks related to those requests.

How Do We Collect Your Personal Data?

We obtain personal data about you when you use our website or use our services to apply for a visa or use our visa application services.

Representatives may submit personal data about you on your behalf. We will always verify and validate any individuals claiming to be your representative before accepting any information about you.

What Do We Collect?

We will only collect personal data required by the embassies and different visa centres to submit a visa application or provide a related service. The type and categories of personal data that we collect is dependent on what visa/service you are applying for.

  • Personal details: name, nationality, gender, details of your travel document (passport or ID), email address, telephone number, marital status, postal address, place and date of birth, photographs, etc.
  • Sensitive personal data: health related information, biometric data (fingerprints, DNA swabs), records of criminal activities, legal proceedings, etc.
  • Personal details of people related to you: children, parents, spouse, personal details of inviting party, etc.
  • Business & education: business and/or employment activities, student activities, employer/student address and contact details.
  • Financial data: payment card details, bank account details, national insurance details, proof of salary, taxes, etc.
  • Electronic media data: video and audio recordings.

This list may vary depending on the embassy/visa centre requirements and the services you request from us.

How Is Your Personal Data Used?

We will never sell your personal data or use it in any way without your direct knowledge. We will only use your personal data to process the specific service that you require relating to the visa application.

  • Validate who you say you are.
  • Book an appointment for you at one of the Visa Application Centres (VAC).
  • Assist you in your visa application or other application.
  • Carry out further verification procedures in relation to your visa or other application.
  • Provide you with additional services that you request relating to the visa application, including added value services (AVS) such as courier delivery.
  • Enable you to track the progress of your application.
  • Send you communications and notifications concerning the status of your chosen service.

Such data processing is based on the execution of the contract between TVSHelper and its Client and on the compliance with legal obligations.

How Long We Store Personal Data?

We review our retention periods for personal information on a regular basis. We are legally required to hold some types of information to fulfil our statutory obligations (for example, invoices for taxation legislation). We will hold your personal information on our systems only for the minimum time as is necessary for the relevant activity.

Some of your personal information may be retained in electronic form for a maximum of thirty (30) days after your travel documents have been returned to you. This is for the purposes of assisting you should you contact us with follow-up questions.

Use of Cookies

Our website uses cookies to function properly and make your browsing experience easier. For example, cookies can help the website remember you so that during your next visit you won't have to choose your preferred language again.

Our websites also use Google Analytics, a service which transmits website traffic data to Google servers. Google Analytics does not identify individual users or associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. We use reports provided by Google Analytics to help us understand website traffic and webpage usage.

You can turn off cookies for our website through the settings page on your browser.

Third Party Service Providers

We may pass your information to our third-party service providers, agents, subcontractors and other associated organisations for the purposes of completing tasks and providing services to you on our behalf (for example to process payments or deliver your visa to you by courier).

When we use third party service providers, we disclose only the personal information that is necessary to deliver the service and we have a contract in place that requires them to keep your information secure and not to use it for their own direct marketing purposes. We will not release your information to third parties beyond the TVSHelper network for them to use for their own direct marketing purposes, unless you have given us permission to do so.

We work closely with a small number of third-party product providers to bring you a range of quality and reliable services. In some cases, they will be acting as a Data Controller of your information and therefore we advise you to read their Privacy Notice.

Your Rights

You have certain rights under the law with regards to how your personal information is processed:

  • The right to be informed how your personal information is being used.
  • The right of access to your personal information.
  • The right to rectification if your personal information is incorrect.
  • The right to erasure of your personal information (where the law permits this).
  • The right to restrict processing of your personal information.
  • The right to data portability.
  • The right to object to how your personal information is used.
  • Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.
  • The right to withdraw your consent.
  • The right to complain to our Data Protection Officer if you feel your personal information has been handled incorrectly.

Security

When you give us personal information, we take steps to ensure that it's treated securely. Any sensitive information (such as credit or debit card details) is encrypted and protected with a lock icon visible in the address bar of most web browsers on secure pages.

Non-sensitive details (your email address etc.) are transmitted normally over the Internet, and this can never be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, and you do so at your own risk.

When you set up an account, you are responsible for keeping that account password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone.

Profiling

Profiling is any form of automated processing of personal information in order to analyse or predict behaviour. TVSHelper may use trusted website analytics partners to help us develop a better user experience and to improve our website.

None of your personal information is collected or passed to our analytics partners or third parties. This analysis is provided via analytics cookies. We provide the choice for you to accept or refuse the use of cookies when you visit our websites.

Client Data Deletion & Retention Policy

At TVSHelper / Travel-Helper UK Limited, we respect your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data once your visa application has been completed.

Data We Will DeletePassport copies and ID scans, visa application forms and supporting documents, bank statements, payslips and financial records, medical or biometric information (if provided), flight bookings, accommodation details, travel itineraries, and any other personal documents not required for legal or regulatory purposes.
Data We Must RetainEven if you request deletion, we are legally required to keep: invoices, receipts, and payment records (retained for up to 6 years in line with tax and accounting laws); basic client record (name, contact information, type of service provided, and date of service); and relevant correspondence if needed to establish that the service was delivered or in case of future legal claims.

This limited retained data will be kept securely, accessed only by authorised staff, and deleted once the retention period expires.