Privacy Policy - VisaBuddy

Last updated 9^th April 2025

Introduction

VisaBuddy Limited (company number 9064094) (Company) is committed to protecting the personal information of all its website and platform users (Users) in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020 (Privacy Act) and the Information Privacy Principles as set out in the Privacy Act.

This privacy policy will help Users understand how and why the Company collects information, how that information is stored, how they can access and correct that information and when we might disclose information to third parties.

This privacy policy does not limit or exclude any rights that a User has or may have under the Privacy Act and (where applicable) the General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR).

For further information, please see www.privacy.org.nz.

The Company’s terms of use are set out in its website www.visabuddy.co.nz, which are updated from time to time (Terms of Use). In the interpretation of this policy, unless the context otherwise requires or as specifically otherwise stated, capitalised terms used in this policy have the meaning given to those terms in the Terms of Use.

About the Company and the Services

The Company operates the Site and provides the Platform to enable Customers to search for and obtain Adviser Quotes for Immigration Advice and Services from Advisers. In support of the Site and the Platform, the Company provides the Services. The Company also provides Immigration Advice and Services to Customers.

Application of this Privacy Policy

By using the Platform, participating in the Company's database and accessing the Site, and engaging the Company to provide Immigration Advice and Services (as applicable), each User consents to the collection, use, disclosure, storage, disposal and processing of personal information in accordance with this privacy policy.

This privacy policy applies to all instances in which personal information (as the term personal information is defined in the Privacy Act) is collected from a User by the Company.

Changes to this Policy

The Company may change this policy at any time by uploading a revised privacy policy to the Site.

All Users agree to be bound by the privacy policy that is in effect at the time they use the Platform or access the Site or Services. If any User does not agree to or wish to provide consent under this privacy policy, they must stop using the Platform, the Site and the Services immediately.

Collection of Personal Information

In the course of providing the services as described above, the Company may collect, store and use a User’s personal information as defined in the Privacy Act as any information about an identifiable individual and may include a User’s or that User’s related party’s (eg visa applicant):

• name;
• contact details (including but not limited to phone number, residential address, email address);
• gender;
• date of birth;
• copy of identification documentation, including but not limited to a driver's licence or passport;
• immigration status and history;
• partnership status;
• employment status and details of employment;
• education and employment history and records;
• photos;
• health and character information;
• Licensing information;
• information about the User or that User’s related party (eg visa applicant) that is publicly available; and
• financial information,

together, (Personal Information).

Purpose and Use of Personal Information

The Company only collects Personal Information as necessary for its business and activities, which may include (but is not limited to) the following:

• to generate quotes to Users based on the Personal Information and other information they have entered into the Platform;
• to engage Advisers to provide an Adviser Quote for the User;
• to promote and market the Services to Users, including contacting Users electronically (for example, via the Company’s text or email newsletters);
• to personalise, customise and improve the Services or Immigration Advice and Services provided to the User;
• to assess the eligibility of any User or that User’s related party (eg visa applicant) for the provision of Immigration Advice and Services;
• to provide the Immigration Advice and Services, including preparing and lodging applications and disclosing relevant information to government departments during the course of these applications;
• to conduct research for the purposes of improving existing Services and Immigration Advice and Services or creating new services;
• to verify the identity of the User, including for the purposes of anti-money laundering identity checks;
• to communicate with Users in relation to the Services and the Immigration Advice and Services;
• to respond to communications from a User, including any complaints;
• to co-operate with any government, industry or regulatory authorities;
• by another entity or affiliate in the Company's group to enable the function and provision of the Services;
• to protect and enforce our legal rights and interests, including defending any claim; or
• for any other purpose authorised by a User, the Privacy Act or GDPR.

The Company may publish to the Platform a User’s feedback or review that the User has provided to the Company. The published feedback or review will include the User’s first name, photo (if provided) and general location (i.e. suburb).

The Company may use AI technologies and disclose personal information of any User to provide the Services and the Immigration Advice and Services as set out in the Terms of Use.

Disclosure of personal information

The Company may disclose User’s Personal Information to:

• Advisers and other New Zealand licensed immigration advisers that use the Platform;
• any business that supports the Services for the Company, including any person that hosts or maintains any underlying IT system or data centre that the Company uses to provide the website or other services and products;
• the Company's related companies and subsidiaries (as those terms are defined in the Companies Act 1993);
• a credit reference agency for the purpose of credit checking a User;
• other third parties (for anonymised statistical information);
• a person as required of the Company for any legal proceedings;
• a person who can require the Company to supply your personal information (e.g. a regulatory authority);
• any other person authorised by the Privacy Act or another law;
• a department of the New Zealand Government, including, but not limited to, Immigration New Zealand, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Invest New Zealand and the Department of Internal Affairs (Citizenship Office); and
• any other person authorised by the User.

The Company may transfer Users’ information in the case of a sale, merger, consolidation, liquidation, reorganisation or acquisition.

The Company will take reasonable steps to ensure third parties receiving User personal information are under obligations the same as or similar to this privacy policy. The Company accepts no responsibility or liability for how third parties use personal information disclosed through the User's use of the Platform, Site, Services and the Immigration Advice and Services.

Users may request the Company to stop sending marketing messages at any time, by contacting the Company at hello@visabuddy.co.nz.

Cookies

The Company uses cookies (being an alphanumeric identifier that the Platform transfers to the User’s computer's hard drive so that the Company can recognise a User’s browser) in order to monitor Users’ use of the Site. Users may disable cookies by changing the settings on their browser, although this may mean that Users cannot use all of the features of the Platform and the Site.

Disclosure overseas

Users authorise the Company to transfer, store and process personal information in New Zealand and in other countries where the Company has reasonable grounds to believe that the recipient has in place safeguards comparable to New Zealand's privacy laws.

Anonymised Data

The Company reserves the right to use data (on a strictly anonymous basis) for industry and market analysis, demographic profiling, marketing, accounting and advertising and other business purposes.

Protection and Retention of Personal Information

The Company will take all reasonable steps to ensure the personal information collected, used or disclosed in accordance with this privacy policy is stored in a secure environment protected from unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure.

The Company will hold personal information collected in accordance with this privacy policy both before and after the provision of its Services in order to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, but only for so long as the Company is legally entitled to do so.

Third Party Links

The Site, Platform and Services may contain or provide links that direct the User to third party websites (Third-Party Sites). The User acknowledges and agrees that they are wholly responsible for their use of any Third-Party Sites and any personal information disclosed directly to third parties.

The User should review the terms of use and privacy policy of any Third-Party Sites.

The Company will not be liable for the User's use of, or the content, availability or accuracy of any Third-Party Site.

Legal Rights and Access to Personal Information

Users have the following rights in relation to their personal information:

• To request access to their personal information.
• To request a correction to their personal information.
• To request the deletion or removal of their personal information.
• To object to the processing of their personal information.
• To request a restriction on the processing of their personal information.
• To request a transfer or their personal information to the User or a third party.
• To withdraw consent to the use of their personal information.

If at any time a User wishes to exercise any of the rights above, please contact the Company at hello@visabuddy.co.nz.

The Company may charge Users reasonable costs associated with responding to a User’s request.

Data Processing Agreement

This privacy policy may be supplemented or superseded between a User and the Company pursuant to the terms of any data processing agreement (or document having similar effect) entered into in writing between the User and the Company.

This privacy policy may be supplemented or superseded between a User and the Company pursuant to the terms of any data processing agreement (or document having similar effect) entered into in writing between the User and the Company.

Severability

If any part of this privacy policy is found by a court to be invalid, void or unenforceable, whether under the Privacy Act, GDPR or any other applicable law, such provision will be deemed to be deleted from this privacy policy and the remaining provisions of will continue in full force and effect.