Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Farang Guider ("the App", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects information when you use our mobile application. Farang Guider is developed and operated by an independent developer.

We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy complies with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR), the Thailand Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) B.E. 2562 (2019), and Google Play Store requirements.

1. Data Controller

For the purposes of the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018, the data controller is:

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you use Farang Guider, you may choose to provide the following information, all of which is stored exclusively on your device:

Data Type	Purpose	Storage Location
Language preference	Display the app in your preferred language (14 supported)	Device (AsyncStorage)
Visa settings (visa type, entry/expiry dates)	Show relevant visa information and expiry reminders	Device (AsyncStorage)
Reminders (titles, dates, notes)	Send local push notifications for important dates	Device (AsyncStorage)
Document photos	Store copies of travel/visa documents for your reference	Device (local file system)
Premium subscription status	Unlock premium features	Device + Google Play / RevenueCat

2.2 Information We Do NOT Collect

Farang Guider does not collect, process, or transmit:

• Your name, email address, phone number, or postal address
• Passwords or account credentials (there are no user accounts)
• Government identification numbers or passport details
• Health, biometric, or genetic data
• Financial information (payments are handled entirely by Google Play)
• Contacts, call logs, SMS, or calendar data
• Browsing history or data from other apps
• Photos from your gallery (document vault photos are stored locally only)

2.3 Automatically Collected Information

2.3.1 Location Data

With your explicit consent, the App may access your device's approximate location to:

• Detect arrival in Thailand to provide timely immigration information
• Show relevant local information based on your region

Location data is processed on your device only and is never transmitted to our servers or any third party. You can withdraw consent or revoke location permission at any time through your device settings, and the App will continue to function without this feature.

2.3.2 Push Notification Token

If you enable push notifications, a device token is generated by the Expo notification service. This token is used solely to deliver local reminders you have set. We do not use push notifications for marketing purposes.

3. How We Use Your Information

All data you provide is used exclusively for the following purposes:

• App functionality: To display visa information, send reminders, store documents, and personalise your experience
• Language preference: To display content in your chosen language
• Visa settings: To calculate visa expiry dates and send timely reminders
• Document storage: To let you keep local copies of important documents
• Subscription management: To verify your premium subscription status and unlock paid features

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Under the UK GDPR and EU GDPR, we process data on the following lawful bases:

• Consent (Article 6(1)(a)): For location access and push notifications — you grant explicit permission which you may withdraw at any time
• Performance of a Contract (Article 6(1)(b)): For subscription management — to deliver premium features you have purchased
• Legitimate Interests (Article 6(1)(f)): For core app functionality — storing your preferences to make the app work as expected. We have assessed that this processing does not override your rights and freedoms

5. Third-Party Services

Farang Guider integrates with the following third-party services. Each service has its own privacy policy:

5.1 Google Play Store

Used for app distribution and in-app subscription payments. Google may collect data in accordance with their privacy policy.

• Data shared: Purchase/subscription data (handled entirely by Google)
• Privacy Policy: policies.google.com/privacy

5.2 RevenueCat

Used to manage premium subscriptions and verify purchase status.

• Data shared: Anonymous app user ID, purchase receipts, subscription status
• Data NOT shared: Personal identity, email, location, documents
• Privacy Policy: revenuecat.com/privacy

5.3 GNews API

Used to fetch live Thailand-related news articles for the news feed.

• Data shared: News search queries (topic-based, not personalised)
• Data NOT shared: Personal data, location, device information
• Privacy Policy: gnews.io/privacy-policy

5.4 Expo / Expo Notifications

Used as the development framework and for local push notification delivery.

• Data shared: Push notification token (anonymous device identifier)
• Privacy Policy: expo.dev/privacy

6. International Data Transfers

Since your data is stored locally on your device, there are no international data transfers of personal data by us. Third-party services (Google Play, RevenueCat, GNews) may transfer data internationally. Where such transfers occur, these services rely on:

• Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
• Adequacy decisions where applicable
• Their own compliance frameworks as detailed in their respective privacy policies

7. Data Storage and Security

7.1 Local Storage

All user-generated data (preferences, visa settings, reminders, document photos) is stored locally on your device using:

• AsyncStorage: For preferences, settings, and structured data
• Local file system: For document photos in the app's sandboxed directory

This data is not transmitted to any remote server, cloud service, or third party.

7.2 Security Measures

• Data is stored within the app's sandboxed storage, protected by the Android operating system
• Document photos are stored in the app's private directory, inaccessible to other apps
• No user data is transmitted over the internet (except subscription verification via RevenueCat)
• The app does not use analytics or tracking SDKs

7.3 Data Retention

Your data persists on your device until:

• You manually delete it within the app (e.g., clearing reminders, removing documents)
• You use the "Reset All Data" option in Settings
• You uninstall the App (all local data is permanently deleted)
• You clear the app's data through your device settings

8. Your Rights

8.1 Under UK GDPR & Data Protection Act 2018

If you are located in the United Kingdom, you have the following rights under the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018:

• Right of Access (Article 15): All your data is stored on your device and is directly accessible to you at all times
• Right to Rectification (Article 16): You can modify any data within the App at any time
• Right to Erasure (Article 17): You can delete your data using the "Reset All Data" feature in Settings, or by uninstalling the App
• Right to Restriction of Processing (Article 18): You control all data input; the App does not process data without your action
• Right to Data Portability (Article 20): Your data is stored locally and can be accessed through your device
• Right to Object (Article 21): You can disable location access, notifications, and other features at any time
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out prior to withdrawal

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

8.2 Under EU GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have the same rights as listed above under Article 15–21 of the EU GDPR. You may lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

8.3 Under Thailand PDPA

If you are located in Thailand, the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA) grants you the following rights:

• Right to Access: You can view all data stored in the App at any time
• Right to Withdraw Consent: You can revoke permissions (location, notifications) through device settings
• Right to Deletion: You can delete all data via Settings or by uninstalling the App
• Right to Data Portability: Data is stored locally on your device
• Right to Object: You may object to data processing by disabling relevant app features
• Right to Complain: You may file a complaint with the Personal Data Protection Committee of Thailand

8.4 Exercising Your Rights

Because all data is stored locally on your device, you can exercise most of your rights directly within the App. For any additional requests or questions, contact us at contact.farangapp@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.

9. Children's Privacy

Farang Guider is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the UK, as applicable under the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Age Appropriate Design Code). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Since the App does not collect personal data or require account creation, there is minimal risk to children's privacy. If you believe a child has somehow provided personal data through our contact channels, please contact us at contact.farangapp@gmail.com and we will take steps to delete such information.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be reflected by the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. For significant changes, we will provide notice within the App.

11. Contact Us

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

We will respond to your inquiry within 30 days.