Africa Wide Consultancy ("we", "us", "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal information when you visit our website or engage our services.

1. Who we are

Africa Wide Consultancy is a South African immigration consultancy based in Johannesburg. We provide guidance and assistance with immigration-related documentation and submission processes.

2. Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to information collected through:

Our website and its pages
Contact forms, enquiries, and consultation requests
Communications by phone, email, WhatsApp, or similar channels
Client onboarding and service delivery activities

3. Personal information we may collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect:

Contact details (name, email address, phone number)
Basic enquiry information (visa type, timelines, circumstances)
Identity and immigration-related details you voluntarily provide
Supporting documents you share for assessment (e.g., CVs, certificates, letters)
Communication records (emails, messages, call notes)
Website usage data (e.g., approximate location, device/browser data) through standard logs

4. How we use your information

We use personal information to:

Respond to enquiries and provide consultations
Assess eligibility and recommend appropriate immigration pathways
Deliver services, including document preparation and submission assistance
Communicate about your case, progress, requirements, and next steps
Improve our website, services, and customer experience
Comply with legal and regulatory obligations
Protect our rights and prevent fraud or misuse

5. Lawful basis for processing (POPIA)

We process personal information where it is:

Necessary to take steps at your request prior to entering into a service relationship
Necessary to perform our services
Necessary to comply with applicable laws
Processed with your consent (where required)
Necessary for our legitimate interests, provided your rights are not overridden

6. Sharing your information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share personal information only when necessary for service delivery or compliance, including with:

Government departments and agencies (e.g., Department of Home Affairs) as part of submissions
Trusted service providers assisting with document needs (e.g., translations, courier, notarisation)
Professional partners where required for complex matters (e.g., legal practitioners), with your knowledge
IT and hosting providers to operate our systems and communications

When we share information, we aim to share only what is necessary and require reasonable confidentiality and security measures.

7. International transfers

If personal information is processed or stored outside South Africa (for example through certain email or cloud service providers), we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place.

8. Security safeguards

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. No system is 100% secure, but we take security seriously.

9. Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes set out in this Policy, to provide services, and to comply with legal, accounting, or regulatory requirements.

10. Your rights

Subject to applicable law, you may request:

Access to personal information we hold about you
Correction of inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information
Deletion of information where we are no longer required or permitted to retain it
Objection to certain processing where applicable

11. Marketing communications

We may send service-related communications (for example, document requests or updates). We will not send unsolicited marketing messages where consent is required. You can opt out of marketing communications at any time by contacting us.

12. Cookies and analytics

Our website may use basic cookies or similar technologies for functionality and performance. If we implement analytics or tracking in the future, we will update this Policy accordingly.

13. Children

Our services and website are not intended for children. If we process information about a minor for immigration purposes, this will typically be provided by a parent or legal guardian as part of service delivery.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be published on this page with a revised “Last updated” date.

15. Contact us

If you have questions or want to exercise your rights, contact us:

Email: admin@africawideconsultancy.co.za
Phone: +27 61 517 9625

This Privacy Policy is provided for transparency and informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.