Introduction
ETIAS Validator is an independent educational website providing information about the European Travel Information and Authorisation System. This privacy policy describes our practices regarding the collection and use of information through this website, including how we use cookies and third-party services.
By accessing and using this website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this privacy policy. We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. The date at the bottom of this page indicates when the policy was last revised.
We process personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the ePrivacy Directive, and other applicable data protection laws. Our commitment is to collect only necessary data, protect it appropriately, and respect your rights regarding your personal information.
Information We Collect
When you visit ETIAS Validator, certain information is automatically collected through standard web server logs and analytics tools. This includes your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring website, pages visited on our site, time and date of your visit, and general geographic location derived from your IP address.
This automatically collected information helps us understand how visitors use our website, identify technical issues, improve content organization, and measure the effectiveness of our educational material. We analyze this data in aggregate form to identify trends and patterns without focusing on individual users.
We do not require registration, account creation, or form submission to access our content. We do not collect names, email addresses, phone numbers, or other directly identifying personal information unless you voluntarily provide it through contact communications.
If you contact us via email, we retain your message and contact information solely to respond to your inquiry and improve our content based on feedback. We do not add contact information to marketing lists or share it with third parties.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit websites. We use cookies and similar technologies for essential website functionality, analytics, and advertising purposes. Understanding how cookies work helps you make informed choices about your privacy preferences.
Essential cookies are necessary for basic website operation. These cookies do not require consent under applicable law because they are strictly necessary to provide the service you requested. They enable core functionality such as page navigation and remembering your preferences during a single browsing session.
Analytics cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website. We use Google Analytics to collect anonymous usage data, including pages viewed, time spent on site, and navigation paths. This information is processed in aggregate to improve our content and user experience without identifying individual visitors.
Advertising cookies are set by Google AdSense and related advertising networks to display relevant advertisements. These cookies track your browsing activity across websites to build a profile of your interests and show advertisements that may be relevant to you. You can opt out of personalized advertising through Google's ad settings.
Google AdSense and Advertising
We display advertisements through Google AdSense to support the operation of this website. Google and its advertising partners use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website and other sites on the internet. This enables relevant advertising but also involves data collection by third parties.
Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to our site and other sites on the internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings at adssettings.google.com. Alternatively, you can opt out of third-party vendor cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page at optout.networkadvertising.org.
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits. The DoubleClick cookie enables Google and its partners to serve ads based on visits to this site and other sites. Users may opt out of the use of the DoubleClick cookie through the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out page.
We do not control the data collection practices of advertising networks. For information about how Google processes data in connection with advertising, please review Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy and the Google Advertising Privacy information.
Data Processing Legal Bases
Under GDPR, we process personal data based on several legal grounds depending on the type of processing. Essential cookies and basic website operation rely on our legitimate interest in providing a functional website. Analytics processing relies on legitimate interest in improving our services, balanced against your privacy rights.
Advertising-related data processing relies on your consent, which you may provide or withdraw through cookie consent mechanisms. When you first visit our site, you may be presented with options to accept or decline non-essential cookies. Your choices are respected throughout your browsing session and may be stored for future visits.
Where processing relies on legitimate interests, we have conducted assessments to ensure our interests do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms. The data we process is minimal, largely anonymized, and used only for purposes that benefit users through improved content and sustained website operation.
Data Retention
Server log data containing IP addresses and access information is retained for a maximum of 90 days before automatic deletion. This retention period allows us to analyze traffic patterns, identify security issues, and troubleshoot technical problems while limiting the duration of personal data storage.
Google Analytics data is retained according to Google's default settings, currently 26 months. This retention period applies to user-level and event-level data. Aggregated, non-identifying reports may be retained indefinitely for historical trend analysis.
Cookie lifespans vary depending on their purpose. Session cookies expire when you close your browser. Persistent cookies set by analytics and advertising services may remain on your device for up to two years unless you delete them through your browser settings.
If you contact us via email, we retain correspondence for as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry and for a reasonable period afterward to address any follow-up questions. Contact messages are not retained indefinitely and are periodically purged.
Data Sharing and Third Parties
We do not sell personal information to third parties. We do not share personal data with third parties for their own marketing purposes. Data sharing is limited to service providers who assist with website operation and analytics, subject to appropriate data processing agreements.
Google processes analytics and advertising data as described in their privacy policies. Google acts as a data processor for analytics services and may act as an independent controller for certain advertising-related processing. We encourage you to review Google's privacy documentation for complete information.
Our website hosting provider, Cloudflare, processes data necessary to deliver website content and provide security services. Cloudflare may collect IP addresses and other connection information for performance optimization and DDoS protection. Cloudflare's privacy practices are governed by their privacy policy.
We may disclose information if required by law, legal process, or government request. We may also disclose information to protect our rights, safety, or property, or those of our users or others.
International Data Transfers
Our website is hosted on infrastructure that may involve data processing in countries outside the European Economic Area. Google and Cloudflare operate globally and may transfer data to servers in the United States and other countries.
Where data is transferred outside the EEA, we rely on appropriate safeguards including Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, adequacy decisions where applicable, and compliance certifications such as the EU-US Data Privacy Framework where available.
By using this website, you acknowledge that your data may be transferred internationally. We take steps to ensure that transferred data receives appropriate protection consistent with GDPR requirements.
Your Rights Under GDPR
If you are located in the European Economic Area or a jurisdiction with similar data protection laws, you have specific rights regarding your personal data. These rights include access, rectification, erasure, restriction of processing, data portability, and objection to processing.
The right of access allows you to request confirmation of whether we process your personal data and to receive a copy of that data. The right to rectification enables you to request correction of inaccurate information. The right to erasure allows you to request deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances.
The right to restriction of processing allows you to request that we limit how we use your data in certain situations. The right to data portability enables you to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format. The right to object allows you to object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.
To exercise these rights, contact us using the information provided below. We will respond to requests within one month as required by GDPR. In complex cases or where multiple requests are involved, this period may be extended by an additional two months with notification.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe our processing of your personal data violates applicable law. You may contact the supervisory authority in your country of residence, place of work, or where the alleged infringement occurred.
Cookie Management
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to view, delete, and block cookies. You can configure your browser to reject all cookies, accept all cookies, or notify you when a cookie is set, allowing you to decide whether to accept it.
To manage cookies in common browsers, access the settings or preferences menu and look for privacy, security, or cookie options. Instructions vary by browser, and you may need to consult your browser's help documentation for specific guidance.
Blocking all cookies may affect website functionality. Essential cookies are required for basic operation, and blocking them may prevent certain features from working correctly. Non-essential cookies can typically be blocked without significant impact on content access.
For advertising opt-out specifically, visit the Digital Advertising Alliance at optout.aboutads.info, the Network Advertising Initiative at optout.networkadvertising.org, or the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance at youronlinechoices.eu.
External Links
Our website contains links to external websites, including official European Union resources and other reference materials. When you click on an external link, you leave our website and become subject to the privacy policy of the destination site.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any websites you visit. Our inclusion of external links does not imply endorsement of their privacy practices.
Children's Privacy
Our website is not directed at children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child, please contact us and we will take steps to delete such information.
Security Measures
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect the data processed through our website. This includes encryption of data in transit using HTTPS, secure server configurations, and regular security reviews.
While we take reasonable precautions, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of information transmitted to or stored by our website.
Contact Information
For questions about this privacy policy, to exercise your data protection rights, or to provide feedback about our privacy practices, please contact us by email. We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days.
When contacting us about privacy matters, please provide sufficient information to identify your request and verify your identity if you are exercising data subject rights. This helps us respond accurately and protect against unauthorized disclosure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this site collect personal information?
We collect limited technical data automatically through server logs and analytics tools, including IP addresses. We do not require registration or collect names, email addresses, or other directly identifying information unless you contact us voluntarily.
How can I opt out of personalized advertising?
Visit Google's Ad Settings at adssettings.google.com to control ad personalization. You can also use industry opt-out tools provided by the Digital Advertising Alliance or Network Advertising Initiative to manage advertising preferences across participating companies.
Are cookies required to use this website?
Essential cookies are required for basic functionality. You can block non-essential analytics and advertising cookies through browser settings or consent mechanisms without significantly affecting content access.
How long is my data retained?
Server logs are retained for up to 90 days. Analytics data is retained according to Google's default settings, currently 26 months. Cookie lifespans vary from session-only to up to two years depending on their purpose.
Is my data transferred outside the EU?
Yes. Our hosting and analytics providers operate globally. We rely on appropriate safeguards including Standard Contractual Clauses for international data transfers to ensure your data receives adequate protection.
How can I request deletion of my data?
Contact us with your request. Note that much of our data processing involves anonymized analytics where individual identification is not possible. We will respond to erasure requests in accordance with GDPR requirements.
Who do I contact about privacy concerns?
Contact us using the email address provided in the contact section above. For complaints about our data handling, you may also contact your local data protection supervisory authority.
Does this site sell personal data?
No. We do not sell personal information to third parties. Data sharing is limited to service providers who assist with website operation and are bound by appropriate data processing agreements.
Last updated: November 2025