1. Introduction
GoSchengen is a visa facilitation and documentation service assisting UK residents with Schengen and worldwide visa applications. Because our service inherently involves handling sensitive personal and travel documentation, we take data protection seriously and process your information only as necessary to deliver our services.
2. Data We Collect
Depending on the service you request, we may collect the following categories of personal data:
- Full name, date of birth, nationality, and contact details (email, phone, address)
- Passport copies and other identity documents
- UK immigration status details, including UKVI eVisa Share Codes
- Bank statements and financial documentation submitted for visa applications
- Employment letters, university enrollment letters, and benefit statements
- Travel itineraries, flight bookings, and hotel reservations
- Communications with our team via email, phone, or WhatsApp
3. How We Use Your Data
We use your personal data solely for the purposes of:
- Preparing and submitting your visa application documentation
- Tracking and securing appointment slots on your behalf
- Communicating with you regarding your application status
- Complying with our legal and regulatory obligations
- Improving our services, where data is anonymized
4. Sharing With Third Parties
To process your visa application, certain data must necessarily be shared with:
- Relevant consulates, embassies, and government visa authorities
- Official visa application partners including TLScontact, VFS Global, and BLS International
- Travel insurance providers, where insurance is arranged as part of your application
- Regulatory or legal authorities, where required by law
We do not share your data with any other third party for commercial or marketing purposes.
5. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy, typically for the duration of your application process plus a limited period afterward to handle any follow-up queries, appeals, or legal requirements. Documents such as bank statements and passport copies are securely deleted once they are no longer required.
6. Your Rights Under GDPR
Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
- Request deletion of your data, subject to legal retention requirements
- Restrict or object to certain processing of your data
- Request a copy of your data in a portable format
- Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details below.
7. Cookies & Tracking
Our website may use essential cookies required for basic site functionality, and analytics cookies to help us understand how visitors use our site. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings at any time.
8. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction, including encrypted storage and restricted internal access to sensitive documents.
9. International Transfers
Where your data is shared with consulates or visa application centers outside the UK, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place in accordance with UK GDPR requirements for international data transfers.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data protection rights, please contact us at privacy@goschengen.co.uk. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
