ae.Visa Data Retention Policy

Version 1.0

Effective Date: 14 December 2025

Owner: Compliance & Operations Department

Applies to: All ae.Visa platforms (Mobile App, Web App, APIs, Internal Ops Systems)

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Data Retention Policy is to define how ae.Visa collects, stores, uses, retains, and securely disposes of personal data and documents submitted during visa application processing.

ae.Visa is committed to:

  • Data minimisation
  • Purpose limitation
  • Confidentiality and security
  • Compliance with applicable data protection laws

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

  • All personal data submitted by customers
  • Passport and identity documents
  • Supporting visa documents
  • AI-extracted data
  • Remote worker processing systems
  • Quality control and audit systems
  • Client accounts and communication records

3. Data Categories Covered

ae.Visa processes the following data categories:

3.1 Personal Information

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Nationality
  • Gender
  • Contact details

3.2 Identity & Travel Documents

  • Passport scans
  • Visa application forms
  • Photographs
  • Birth certificates (where applicable)

3.3 Supporting Documents

  • Bank statements
  • Employment letters
  • Business documents
  • Travel itineraries
  • Invitation letters

3.4 System-Generated Data

  • AI extraction outputs
  • Case status logs
  • Remote worker notes
  • Quality control flags
  • Audit trails

4. Data Retention Principles

ae.Visa follows these core principles:

  • Minimal collection – only data required for visa processing is collected
  • Temporary retention – documents are retained only for active processing
  • Purpose-bound use – data is used solely for visa services requested
  • Automatic deletion – data is purged after completion
  • Restricted access – role-based access for authorised personnel only

5. Retention Periods

5.1 Pre-Payment Data

Data:

  • Nationality
  • Destination
  • Visa type selection

Retention:

  • Deleted immediately if payment is not completed
  • Retained only upon successful checkout

5.2 Active Visa Application Case

Data:

  • Passports
  • Supporting documents
  • AI-extracted personal data
  • Worker processing notes

Retention:

  • Stored only for the duration of the active visa case
  • Accessible only to assigned remote workers, AI systems, and QC staff

5.3 Post-Completion Retention

After the visa application is: Submitted, Delivered as an application pack, Or marked as completed / closed

  • Retention Period: 30 days (default)
  • Purpose: Client download access, Dispute resolution, Quality assurance

After this period, all documents are automatically deleted.

5.4 Failed, Cancelled, or Abandoned Applications

  • Retention Period: 14 days from cancellation or inactivity
  • Action: All uploaded documents are permanently deleted
  • Note: Only anonymised system logs remain

5.5 Payment & Financial Records

Data:

  • Transaction references
  • Invoices
  • Payment confirmations

Retention:

  • Retained in accordance with financial and tax laws
  • No passport or document data stored with payment records

5.6 Anonymised Analytics & Logs

Data:

  • Aggregated processing metrics
  • Performance statistics
  • Error rates

Retention:

  • Stored indefinitely
  • Fully anonymised
  • Cannot be traced to an individual

6. Data Access Controls

  • Role-based access enforced
  • Remote workers can access only assigned cases
  • QC can access cases under review
  • Admin access strictly limited
  • All access actions logged and auditable

7. Data Deletion & Disposal

Data deletion is:

  • Automatic
  • Irreversible
  • Logged for audit purposes

Deletion methods include:

  • Secure database purging
  • Encrypted storage destruction
  • Removal from backups per rotation schedule

8. Client Rights

Clients may request:

  • Access to their data (while active)
  • Correction of inaccurate data
  • Early deletion after case completion (where legally permitted)

Requests can be made via: privacy@aevisa.com

9. Third-Party & Remote Worker Handling

  • Remote workers operate under strict NDAs
  • No local downloads permitted
  • No data stored on personal devices
  • Third-party tools used only where essential and compliant

10. Security Measures

ae.Visa applies:

  • Encryption at rest and in transit
  • Secure access tokens
  • Session-based document viewing
  • AI monitoring for anomalous access
  • Regular internal audits

11. Regulatory Compliance

This policy aligns with principles from:

  • GDPR (EU)
  • UAE PDPL
  • UK GDPR
  • POPIA (South Africa)
  • General international data protection standards

12. Policy Review & Updates

  • Reviewed annually
  • Updated upon legal or operational changes
  • Latest version always available on ae.Visa platforms

13. Contact

For questions regarding this policy:

Compliance Office
privacy@ae-visa.com
www.aevisa.com