• To process your visa application,
• To Provide Citizen and front end Services that includes Passport services, Consular Services, Attestation Services, OCI Services, Renunciation of Citizenship/Surrender Certificate Services, and Additional Services
• To provide customer support
• To comply with applicable laws and regulations

WHAT INFORMATION WE COLLECT?

The personal information that we collect depends on the context of your interactions with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the service and features you use. The personal information we collect may include the following:

Personal Information

• Name
• Date of Birth
• Overseas Address Details (If Non Resident)
• E mail Address
• Applicant address details
• Telephone Number/Mobile Number
• Overseas Telephone Number/Mobile Number
• Nationality/Country of Residence
• Place of Birth
• Country of Birth
• Nationality at Birth
• Age
• Marital Status
• Gender
• Government Identifier(Social security, Driving License, Passport, Residence Permit, National ID Card)
• Passport Details
• Visa Details
• Travel Itineraries
• Financial Details
• Travel Insurance Details

Special Category of Personal Information. When necessary, with your consent or as otherwise permitted by applicable law and/or Contractual obligation, we may process the following special categories of sensitive information:

Biometrics Data (Fingerprint and Photograph)

HOW DO WE COLLECT YOUR INFORMATION?

We may collect your personal information when you interact with us in the following ways:

• When you visit our website or use our mobile application to book an appointment: We may ask you for your first name, middle name, and surname, email address, phone number and passport information to book your appointment.
• When you call our call centers: We may ask you for your name, email address, phone number and Passport information so that we can help you with your visa application.
• When you Visit our VAC (Visa Application Centre): When you visit our VAC we may collect physical documents in copies and originals if required by the Mission.
• When you opt to avail other services: We may ask you for your personal information depending on the service you are requesting or opting. Other services include Passport services, Consular Services, Attestation Services, OCI Services, Renunciation of Citizenship/Surrender Certificate Services, and our Additional Services.
• When you connect through social media: We may ask you for your passport number or any other reference to revert your queries.
• When you visit our website to cancel an appointment: When you visit our website to cancel your appointment, we may ask for your personal information.
• Automatically collected information: We may automatically collect your IP address when you visit our website to book an appointment. This information does not reveal your specific identity. It is collected for safety and security purposes, to help us detect and prevent fraud.

WHAT LEGAL BASES DO WE RELY ON TO PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?

We may rely on the following legal bases to process your personal information:

1. 1. Consent: We may process your personal information if you have given us permission (i.e., consent) to use your personal information for a specific purpose. You can withdraw your consent at any time by sending a mail at dpo@blsinternational.net
2. 2. Contractual Obligations: We may process your information where we believe it is necessary to enter into a contract with you or performing our obligations under it.
3. 3. Legal Obligations: We may process your information where we believe it is necessary for compliance with our legal obligations, such as to cooperate with a law enforcement body or regulatory agency, exercise or defend our legal rights, or disclose your information as evidence in litigation in which we are involved.
4. 4. Vital Interests: We may process your personal information where we believe it is necessary to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person, such as situations involving potential threat to the life of an individual.
5. 5. Legitimate interests: We may process your personal information where we believe it is necessary to prevent fraud, ensuring network and information security

WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

We may share or disclose your personal information with:

1. 1. Embassy, government/diplomatic mission when we process your visa application, identity management, and other services (such as passport renewal).
2. 2. Those service providers who enable us to provide the services you have requested or opted for (courier, emails etc.).
3. 3. Third Parties for legal reasons: (if required) such as: requests from government agencies, including law enforcement and other public authorities, which may include such authorities outside your country of residence.

We only share or disclose your personal information with these entities if it is necessary to provide the services you have requested or to comply with a legal obligation. We take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal data is protected when it is shared or disclosed.

HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION?

We keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy notice, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements) or as per data retention policies of the respective client Government/ Embassy.

HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE?

We implement appropriate and reasonable technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process. It includes the use of encryption, passwords, and physical security measures.

DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS?

We do not knowingly solicit data from, or market to minors. By using the Services, you represent that you are at least the age of majority in your jurisdiction or that you are the parent or guardian of such a minor and consent to such minor dependent’s use of the Services.

IS YOUR INFORMATION TRANSFERRED INTERNATIONALLY?

As part of the services offered to you through this website or mobile application, or in a Visa Application Centre, the information which you provide to us will, in most circumstances, may be transferred to off- shore countries, i.e. outside your home country. These countries may not have the same data protection laws as your home country. When we transfer your personal information to countries outside of your home country, we ensure adequate data protection safeguards to protect your personal information in accordance with the applicable law.

THIRD PARTY SITES/ LINKED SITES

This Site may contain links to other independent third-party Web sites ("Linked Sites"). These Linked Sites are provided solely as a convenience to our visitors. Such Linked Sites are not under BLS’s control, and BLS is not responsible for and does not endorse the content of such Linked Sites, including cookies used and any information contained on such Linked Sites. You will need to make your own independent judgment regarding your interaction with these Linked Sites.

DO WE USE COOKIES?

Our website may use different types of cookies to enhance your experience. Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer by websites that you visit. For more information on our use of cookies please refer our Cookie Policy.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?

You have following privacy rights:

1. 1. Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information we hold about you.
2. 2. Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify, complete, or update the personal data you think is inaccurate, incomplete or outdated.
3. 3. Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
4. 4. Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
5. 5. Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
6. 6. Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organization, or to you, in certain circumstances.
7. 7. Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority: You have the right to complain with a supervisory authority.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. However, a reasonable fee may be charged if your request is deemed manifestly unfounded or excessive. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you and in some circumstances it may extend to additional two months if necessary (considering complexity and request volume) and in such circumstances we will inform you.

HOW TO EXERCISE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?

Please email us at dpo@blsinternational.net if you wish to make a request to exercise your privacy rights.

CHANGES TO THE POLICY:

Our privacy policy may be updated from time to time so you may wish to check them each time you submit personal information to us. The date of the most recent revisions will appear on the top of the page.