Privacy Policy
This page explains in plain language what happens with the information you share with India to Germany Guide.
Controller (GDPR Art. 4 (7))
Responsible for data processing on this website: Sören Barthel, India to Germany Guide, Königreicher Str. 104, 21635 Jork, Germany. Email hello@indiatogermanyguide.com, phone +49 152 25362639. We have not appointed a data protection officer because we are not legally required to do so.
What we collect
When you use the contact form we collect your name, email address, the country you write from, the topic you choose and your message. When you buy a guide or service we process your name, email address, order reference and payment status. When you chat with our AI guide, we process the questions you type so the guide can answer them. When you visit the site, our hosting provider processes technical data such as IP address, browser and time of request in server logs. We do not ask for identity documents, payment card details or any sensitive personal data on this website.
Voice recordings and AI processing
In the learning hub you can record your voice for the speaking coach and the B1 speaking exam simulator. Recording only happens after you tick the consent box and only while you press the record button. The recording is sent to our AI provider, turned into text and used to create the exam partner's spoken reply and your feedback report. We do not store the audio on our servers: only the text transcript and the report are saved to your learning progress, so you can look at them later. The legal basis is your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR); you can withdraw it at any time by stopping the practice and asking us to delete a saved sitting.
Legal bases (GDPR Art. 6)
We process your data to perform a contract or take pre-contractual steps (Art. 6 (1) (b) GDPR) when you order a guide or service, on the basis of your consent (Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR) when you send us a message or use the AI guide, on the basis of our legitimate interest in a secure and working website (Art. 6 (1) (f) GDPR) for server logs and fraud prevention, and to comply with legal obligations such as German commercial and tax retention rules (Art. 6 (1) (c) GDPR).
Service providers we use
We work with carefully selected processors under data processing agreements (GDPR Art. 28): our website hosting and database provider, Stripe Payments Europe Ltd for payments, Resend for transactional email, Zoho for our email inbox, and Google for Analytics and Ads measurement. Some of these providers may process data outside the EU, in which case transfers are covered by the EU Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision (GDPR Art. 44 to 49).
Why we use it
We use your data only to answer your question, to send you the guide or service you asked for, and to keep a record of our conversation. We never sell your data and we never use it for unrelated advertising.
Consent
You share your data with us voluntarily when you send a message. By sending the form you agree that we may store your message and reply to you by email. You can withdraw this consent at any time by writing to us.
Where your data is stored
Messages are stored in a secured cloud database with access limited to the website owner. Access is protected by a password and login. Data may be processed on servers outside India, including in the European Union.
How long we keep it
We keep messages only as long as needed to help you, and normally not longer than 24 months. After that we delete them.
Your rights under the GDPR
You have the right to access your data (Art. 15), to correction (Art. 16), to erasure (Art. 17), to restriction of processing (Art. 18), to data portability (Art. 20) and to object to processing based on legitimate interest (Art. 21). Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time with effect for the future (Art. 7 (3)). Write to hello@indiatogermanyguide.com and we will answer within 30 days.
Right to complain to a supervisory authority
You can lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority (GDPR Art. 77). The authority responsible for us is: Die Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz Niedersachsen, Prinzenstraße 5, 30159 Hannover, Germany.
Cookies and analytics
Strictly necessary storage always runs: a login cookie for your library (itg_lib), the secure Stripe checkout session, your language choice and your cookie decision (itg_cookie_consent, kept about 6 months). Nothing else is loaded until you agree. Only if you accept analytics or advertising in the cookie banner do we load the Google tag and use Google Analytics (G-94VSF5PRG4) and Google Ads measurement (AW-17703853825) to see how the site is used and whether an ad led to a purchase; this uses Google Consent Mode and may transfer data to Google Ireland Ltd. and Google LLC in the USA on the basis of the EU standard contractual clauses. The legal basis is your consent (§ 25 (1) TDDDG, Art. 6 (1) (a) GDPR). You can change or withdraw your choice at any time through the “Cookie settings” link in the footer, or by writing to us.
Advertising with Google AdSense
If you accept advertising in the cookie banner, some pages show display ads served by Google AdSense (publisher ID ca-pub-5218080950133301). Google and its advertising partners use cookies and similar technologies to show ads, measure them and, where consented, personalise them based on your visits to this and other websites. You can opt out of personalised advertising at Google’s ad settings (adssettings.google.com) or through youronlinechoices.eu. Without your consent in the cookie banner, no AdSense script is loaded on this site.
Partner and affiliate links
Some links on this site, currently to Expatrio, Fintiba and N26, are advertising links. Clicking one takes you to the partner’s own website, where the partner or its tracking network usually sets a cookie or click identifier so a sign up can be attributed to us; that processing happens under their privacy policy, not ours. We receive a commission if you sign up, the price for you stays the same, and we never receive your name, documents or account details from the partner. Details are on our advertising and affiliate links page.
Contact and grievances
Questions and complaints about your personal data can be sent to hello@indiatogermanyguide.com or by post to Sören Barthel, Königreicher Str. 104, 21635 Jork, Germany. As also required under Indian information technology rules, we acknowledge every complaint and resolve it within 30 days.