FCDO privacy notice and guidance on consular research
This privacy notice outlines data the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) processes if you provide your information for consular research.
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This privacy notice describes how the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) processes personal data that is provided as feedback for our consular research. The notice explains how we will use your personal data, and what your rights are in relation to our use of your personal data.
Consular feedback and research
The FCDO supports our citizens and businesses abroad through a wide range of services, handling anything from major crisis evacuations to issuing emergency travel documents. We aim to provide a high quality service and are keen to receive feedback. We use this to assess and improve the way we provide services, and we work with a small number of partner research agencies to collect feedback about our services.
If you apply for a service online, you will be offered an opportunity to provide consent at the time of application. You will be able to make an informed choice about whether or not you wish to share your personal data (name, email, telephone and service you received/reason why you contacted us) to be contacted for feedback by our partner agency. If you provide consent to share your data, you will not automatically be selected for an interview; our partner agencies randomly select customers to participate.
If you have sought consular assistance overseas and have provided your contact details as part of that service, we may ask you to take part in our feedback programme. We may do this by a number of channels; over the phone, SMS text, email or in person.
Your data will continue to remain protected at all times and processed in accordance with the applicable data protection legislation including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA).
If you consent to share your data, you may later withdraw that consent at any stage, including after you have shared feedback. You may withdraw your consent at any stage, by making this request using the consular research contact form. This privacy notice provides for more information.
Complaints and compliments
If you wish to make a complaint, or provide any other feedback about consular services, view our complaints procedure.
Last updated 20 February 2023 + show all updates
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Privacy notice reviewed and clarified.
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Updated contact information
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First published.