Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 8, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to VisaMonkey ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website VisaMonkey.com (the "Site") and use our services. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about our data practices.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, necessary for utilizing our service, including:

  • Email addresses
  • Information required to interact with the USCIS API on your behalf (e.g., receipt numbers, case details you provide).

We do not collect other sensitive data types like geolocation, financial details, or medical information unless explicitly stated and required for a specific service, which is not the case for our current offerings.

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain information about your device and interaction with our Site, including:

  • Analytics data about how you interact with our Site (e.g., using standard web analytics tools)
  • Browser type and version
  • Operating system
  • IP address
  • Time and date of your visit
  • Pages viewed
  • Time spent on pages

2.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Site and hold certain information to enhance user experience and site functionality. Cookies are files with small amounts of data which may include an anonymous unique identifier. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our Service.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect solely for the following purposes:

  • To provide and operate our core service, which involves securely fetching case status information from USCIS via their API using the details you provide.
  • To communicate with you directly, including responding to inquiries and sending service-related notifications (e.g., status updates, account information).
  • To improve our Site and user experience based on aggregated usage patterns.
  • To analyze Site usage and trends (using anonymized or aggregated data).
  • To monitor and prevent security issues, fraud, and ensure the integrity of our service.

4. Disclosure and Sharing of Your Information

Your privacy is paramount. We handle your information as follows:

  • USCIS Interaction: The information you provide specifically for interacting with the USCIS API is transmitted securely to USCIS as necessary to fulfill the service request. This is the primary purpose of collecting such data.
  • No Sale or Sharing with Other Third Parties: We do not sell, trade, rent, or otherwise transfer or disclose your personal information to any other third parties for profit or other monetary transactions, or for their own marketing or informational purposes.
  • Service Providers: We use third-party service providers for essential operations like secure data hosting (e.g., Cloudflare). These providers are carefully selected and are contractually bound to maintain the confidentiality and security of your data, consistent with this Privacy Policy. They are prohibited from using your personal information for any purpose other than providing the specific service they are contracted for, and access is limited only to what is necessary for them to perform their function.
  • Legal Obligations: We may disclose your information if required by law, subpoena, or other legal processes, or if we have a good faith belief that disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (a) comply with a legal obligation; (b) protect and defend our rights or property; (c) prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service; (d) protect the personal safety of users of the Service or the public.
  • Consent: Other than the uses outlined above, we will not use or disclose your personal information for any other purpose without your active consent. Third-party use or disclosure of your information (even de-identified or anonymized data) for reasons beyond providing their essential service to us is prohibited without your active consent.

5. Security of Your Information

We use commercially reasonable administrative, technical, and physical security measures designed to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. Data is hosted securely, leveraging reputable infrastructure providers like Cloudflare. However, please be aware that no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with our services, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. If your account becomes dormant, we will retain the data unless you request its deletion as described below.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access and Correction: You have the right to request access to the personal data we hold about you and to request correction of any inaccuracies. Please contact us via the email below to make such requests.
  • Deletion: You have the right to request the permanent deletion of your personal data. You can make this request easily by emailing us at [email protected] with the subject line "Data Deletion Request". We will process your request within one month (30 days) of verifying your identity and the request, subject to any overriding legal or operational retention needs (e.g., data required for legal compliance).
  • Account Closure: You can request to close your account by emailing us at [email protected] with the subject line "Account Closure Request". Account closure will typically be processed within 30 days. Upon closure, your data will be scheduled for deletion according to our deletion policy, unless specific retention is required for legal reasons.
  • Opt-out of Cookies: You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings.
  • Data Sharing Choices: As we do not share your data with third parties for their own use, specific opt-outs for such sharing are not applicable. Your primary choice regarding data sharing relates to providing the necessary information for us to interact with USCIS on your behalf.

We do not engage in data sharing practices that would significantly impact others (such as sharing genetic information).

8. Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that compromises the security, confidentiality, or integrity of your personal information under our control, we will notify affected users via the email address associated with their account as required by applicable law, without undue delay. This notification will include information about the nature of the breach, the data potentially involved, the steps we are taking to address it, and steps you can take to protect yourself, if any.

9. Transfer of Ownership

If VisaMonkey is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of its assets, your personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or a prominent notice on our Site of any change in ownership or uses of your personal information. We commit that any new entity acquiring the data will be legally bound to honor the commitments made in this Privacy Policy regarding your previously collected information. Should the new entity wish to materially change how your data is processed, you will be notified in advance and provided with choices, including the option to delete your account and associated data before the changes take effect.

10. Children's Privacy

Our Site and Service are not intended for or directed at children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13 without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to delete such information from our servers promptly.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or relevant regulations. We will notify you of any material changes by sending an email to the primary email address specified in your account and by posting the updated policy prominently on this page with a new "Last updated" date. We will also provide a concise, plain-language summary highlighting the key changes. For material changes impacting how we handle your personal data, we will obtain your active consent (for example, by requiring you to review and accept the updated policy upon your next login) before the changes become effective for you.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

[email protected]