Legal
Privacy Policy
How we handle your data when you use ExpatDesk.
Last updated: 13 August 2026
1. Data controller
The data controller within the meaning of Art. 4(7) GDPR is:
Syed Haider Ali Zaidi
Talstraße 5
79102 Freiburg
Germany
Email: expatdeskde@gmail.com
ExpatDesk operates expatdesk.de, an English-language guide site for expats navigating German bureaucracy.
2. What data we collect
Depending on how you use the site, we may process:
- Usage data — pages visited, referrer, device type, and approximate location (city/country level), collected via Vercel Web Analytics when you accept analytics cookies.
- Contact form data — if you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address, and message via Formspree. This data is used solely to respond to your enquiry.
- Checklist progress — saved locally in your browser (localStorage) when you use interactive checklists. This data never leaves your device.
- Cookie consent choice — stored in your browser so we remember your preference.
We do not operate user accounts or collect payment data.
3. Legal basis (GDPR)
- Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) — analytics cookies, which you can withdraw at any time via the “Cookie settings” link in the footer or by contacting us.
- Contract / pre-contractual measures (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR) — processing your contact form submission to respond to your enquiry.
- Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) — operating a functional website, storing your consent preference, and maintaining server logs for security.
4. Cookies and local storage
| Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Consent preference | Remembers your cookie choice | Until cleared |
| Checklist progress | Saves checklist state on your device | Until cleared |
| Analytics (Vercel) | Anonymous page-view statistics | Session / short-term |
Vercel Web Analytics does not use third-party cookies and does not track users across sites.
Web fonts (Geist) are self-hosted and served from our own domain. No requests are made to Google Fonts or any external font service.
You can change or withdraw your cookie consent at any time by clicking the “Cookie settings” link in the page footer.
5. Third-party services
- Vercel — hosting and, with consent, privacy-friendly analytics. Vercel Privacy Policy
- Formspree — contact form processing. Formspree Privacy Policy
6. International data transfers
Vercel Inc. and Formspree are US-based companies. When data is processed outside the EU/EEA, appropriate safeguards are in place, including EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) as required by Chapter V of the GDPR. You can review Vercel's Data Processing Addendum for more details.
7. Your rights
If you are in the EU/EEA (including Germany), you have the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict, or object to processing of your personal data, and to data portability where applicable. You may also lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
To exercise your rights, email expatdeskde@gmail.com or use our contact form.
8. Data retention
Analytics data is retained by Vercel according to their policies. Consent and checklist data remain in your browser until you clear site data. Contact form submissions are retained by Formspree according to their policies and deleted when no longer needed to handle your enquiry. Server logs on Vercel are retained for a limited period for security and operations.
9. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when we add features or when legal requirements change. The “Last updated” date at the top will reflect the latest version. If we add advertising or other tracking in the future, this policy will be updated accordingly before any such processing begins.
10. Contact
Questions about privacy? Email expatdeskde@gmail.com, use our contact form, or visit our About page.