Privacy Notice

Last updated: January 28th, 2025

This Privacy Notice (“Notice”) for BLS International Service Ltd ("we," "us," “BLS International” or "our"), describes how and why we might collect, store, use, and/or share ("Process") your personal information when you (user, data subject, individual) use our services ("Services"), such as when you:

Visit our website, or any website of ours or use a mobile application that links to this privacy notice.

Questions or concerns?

Reading this privacy notice will help you understand your privacy rights, choices and how we handle your personal information. If you still have any questions related to this privacy notice or data protection concerns, please contact us at dpo@blsinternational.net, you can also reach out to us at

Email:	dpo@blsinternational.net
Telephone number:	+91 11 23329846
Address	BLS International Services Ltd., 912 Indra Prakash Building 21 Barakhamba Road New Delhi 110001 INDIA

For questions related to our services such as visa application/status related matters, or our additional services, etc. please reach out to us at

Email address:	info@blsinternational.com
Telephone number:	+91-11-43750006

SCOPE

This Notice is applicable to all your personal information that we collect from you, whether online, offline or through our partners.

1. To process your visa application,
2. To provide citizen and front-end services, consular services, biometric and identity management services, verification and attestation services, and our additional services,
3. To provide customer support,
4. To comply with applicable laws and regulations.

As an external service provider we facilitate Embassies/Diplomatic missions and assist them in performance of their sovereign function of processing and issuing visas. Furthermore, these services are strictly in line with the terms outlined by the respective service/support agreements. We perform administrative and non-judgmental tasks related to visa, e-visa, passport, identity management, travel documents and other passport related services.

BLS International is authorized by the relevant Embassies/Consulates/Diplomatic Missions to collect your information for the above mentioned services except for customer support and additional services.

WHAT INFORMATION WE COLLECT?

The personal information we may collect varies based on the nature of your interactions with us, the Services you engage with, the choices you make, and the specific services and features you use. The information collected may include the following:

1. Name
2. Date of Birth
3. Overseas Address Details (If Non Resident)
4. E-mail Address
5. Applicant address details
6. Telephone Number/Mobile Number
7. Overseas Telephone Number/Mobile Number
8. Nationality/Country of Residence
9. Place of Birth
10. Country of Birth
11. Nationality at Birth
12. Age
13. Marital Status
14. Gender
15. Government Identifier(Social security, Driving License, Passport, Residence Permit, National ID Card)
16. Passport Details
17. Visa Details
18. Travel Itineraries
19. Financial Details
20. Travel Insurance Details

Furthermore, when necessary, with your consent or as otherwise permitted by applicable law and/or contractual obligation, we process the following special categories of sensitive information:

1. Biometrics data i.e. Fingerprint, photograph etc.

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 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 or related queries.
• 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 concerned Mission.
• When you visit our website to avail others services: We may ask you for your personal information depending on the service you are requesting. Other Services include Citizen and front end Service, Consular Services, Biometrics and Identity Management, Verification and Attestation Services, and 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. Consent: We may process your personal information if you have given us explicit permission (i.e., consent) to use your personal information for a specific purpose. You can withdraw your consent at any time by clicking on the available consent withdrawal option or by sending a mail at dpo@blsinternational.net
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. 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. 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. 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 your personal information with:

1. Those service providers who enable us to serve your requests or who work on our behalf for providing service to you like courier, emails etc.
2. Respective Embassies/Consulates/Diplomatic Missions.
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 data 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 Governments/ Embassies/ Diplomatic Missions.

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 our services to, minors. By using the Services, you confirm that you are either at least the age of majority in your jurisdiction or the parent or legal guardian of a minor, and you consent to the minor's use of the Services.

USE OF COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGY

Our website(s) 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. Whenever we use cookies, we give you the option to accept or refuse the use of cookies when visiting our website(s). Additionally, you can also adjust your cookie settings at any time using cookie settings on your browser.  For more information on how BLS International may use cookies, please refer to our Cookie Policy linked to our respective websites.

Please be aware that disabling cookies may affect the functionality of our website.

IS YOUR INFORMATION TRANSFERRED INTERNATIONALLY?

As part of the services offered to you through our website(s), mobile application, or at our VAC(s), 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 data protection laws equivalent to those in 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

The Website may contain links to other websites or resources over which BLS International does not have any control. Such links do not constitute an endorsement by BLS International of those external websites. You acknowledge that BLS International is providing these links to you only as a convenience, and further agree that BLS International is not responsible for the content of such external websites. We are not responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide while visiting such external websites and such sites are not governed by BLS Policy. Your use of any external website is subject to the terms of use and privacy notice located on the linked to external website

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?

You have following privacy rights:

1. Right of Access: You have the right to request copies of the personal information we hold about you.
2. Right to Rectification: You have the right to ask us to correct, complete, or update personal data you believe is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated.
3. Right to Erasure: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information under certain circumstances.
4. Right to Restriction of Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal information under certain circumstances.
5. Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information under certain circumstances.
6. Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request that we transfer the personal information you have provided to another organization or directly to you, where feasible, under certain circumstances.
7. Right against Automated Decision Making/Profiling: You have the right to not be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing including profiling.
8. Right to lodge a Complaint with a Supervisory Authority: You have the right to file a complaint with a supervisory authority regarding our handling of your personal information.

You are not required to pay any fee to exercise your rights. However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is deemed manifestly unfounded or excessive.

We will respond to your request within one month. In certain cases, where the request is complex or involves a high volume, this timeframe may be extended by an additional two months, and we will inform you accordingly.

HOW TO EXERCISE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?

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