Privacy Policy
The Data Protection Act
What information do we collect?
Use of your data
Online forms and registering
Internet payments
Security
What happens when I link to another site?
Access to your information
Feedback
Complaints
Comments and questions
Changes to this privacy policy
1. This page explains how www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk, which is managed by UK Border Agency, uses any information you give to us, and the ways in which we protect your privacy.
2. UK Border Agency is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
The Data Protection Act
3. We will treat any personal information by which you can be identified (i.e.
name, address, e-mail etc) in accordance with the provisions of the Data
Protection Act 1998. If you have any enquiry or concern regarding the
processing of personal data please contact the Information Manager via the
online feedback form.
4. Under the Data Protection Act, we have a legal duty to protect any information we collect from you. We use leading technologies and encryption software to safeguard your data, and keep strict security standards to prevent any unauthorised access to it.
5. If you have any queries about Data Protection and/or the UK Border Agency not covered on the Data Protection section of the website - please email us at xxx@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk.
What information do we collect?
6. The information we collect:
- 1. information contained in completed on-line forms; such as name, contact information, including email address, and information pertinent to processing your application for a visa or entry permit
- 2. information obtained through internet payments such as the value and currency and a unique payment reference number provided by our bankers
- 3. feedback (through email and an onlinefeedback process)
Use of your data
7. We currently collect information via www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk in order to
progress the entry clearance service; for accounting, billing and auditing
(including checking credit or other payment cards); administrative and legal
purposes; statistical analysis; developing and enhancing services provided on
www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk; and facilitating security, immigration and entry
procedures, in connection with your visa or entry permit application.
8. We will only use personal information you provide for the purposes set out in paragraph 7 above. We will only hold your information for as long as necessary and will not pass it on to any other parties, except where required to carry out our duties and functions or as required by law. All employees and contractors that may have access to your personal data are obliged to respect the confidentiality of your personal data.
9. Your data may be disclosed to other UK Government Departments, agencies, local authorities, foreign governments and other bodies for immigration purposes. Applicants submitting their visa application in the United States of America will have their biometric data checked against Department of Homeland Security records. For further information on this arrangement please refer to www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/countries/usa. See the UK Border Agency information charter for more information.
Online forms and registering
10. If you choose to complete any of our online forms, UK Border Agency will
not use the personal information you provide us with for marketing purposes.
Internet payments
11. Payments made through the site are handled by WorldPay Ltd., who receive a
reference number unique to your application, a brief description of the service
provided (e.g. a six month visit Visa application) and the amount to be paid
from the UK Border Agency.
12. Data provided during a transaction will only be used for recording your payment and for no other purposes.
Security
13. We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to
prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable
physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the
information we collect online.
14. We collect all the personal information you complete on electronic form(s). All the information is sent over a 128 bit secure encrypted connection. Cookies
15. A cookie is a small piece of text stored on your computer, phone or whatever you use to surf the Internet. Cookies have many uses, but fundamentally they are used to store information about you on your computer. This site, www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk, does not use cookies.
What happens when I link to another site?
16. www.visa4UK.fco.gov.uk contains links to other web sites, both those of
government departments and of other organisations. This privacy policy applies
only to our site, and not to other sites, so you should read the privacy
statement of any linked sites which you access.
Access to your information
17. If you wish to see our records of any correspondence you have sent to us,
or if you have a query about this privacy policy or about the site, you can
contact us using the online feedback form which is available at
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/contact/.
Feedback
18. You can send us your feedback: by comments and questions using the online
feedback form which is available at
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/contact/.
Complaints
19. Should you have any complaints regarding the Services received from us,
please use the online complaint process detailing the nature of your complaint.
We will acknowledge the complaint within xx working days and provide a likely
timescale for resolving the dispute, while keeping you informed about progress.
Comments and questions
20. If you send a request for feedback or a complaint to us asking for
information, we may need to contact other UK Government Departments, agencies,
local authorities, foreign governments and other bodies to find that
information. If your question is technical or financial we may need to pass it
to our technology or payment suppliers. We do not pass on any of your personal
information when dealing with your enquiry, unless you have given us permission
to do so. Consent
21. By disclosing personal information to www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk you consent to the collection, storage and processing of information in the manner described in this policy. Please note that your continued use of the www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk site and/or products and services constitutes your agreement to any changes to this policy, and the www.visa4uk.fco.gov.uk website Terms and Conditions.
Changes to this privacy policy
22. If this privacy policy changes in any way, we will place an updated version
on this page. Regularly reviewing this page ensures you are always aware of
what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances (if
any) we will share it with other parties.
This policy is effective from 16 December 2011.