Guidance

FCDO privacy notice: applicants for Antarctic permits

Updated 20 February 2023

What a privacy notice is

The General Data Protection Regulation requires that data controllers provide information to people whose personal information they process. Processing information means how we use it, store it, and share it, how long we keep it and how we destroy it.

This privacy notice includes:

• who we are
• what information we collect about you and how
• how we use your information
• why we collect personal information about you
• who we share your information with and why
• our lawful basis for processing
• how long we keep your personal information for
• your rights
• how to contact us
• how to make a complaint

Who we are

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) pursues our national interests and projects the UK as a force for good in the world. We promote the interests of British citizens and provide consular services overseas, safeguard the UK’s security, defend our values and tackle global challenges with our international partners. To do this effectively we must collect, store, share and use personal information.

Polar Regions Department is part of the FCDO. We lead within government on all Antarctic matters, including environmental protection, sustainable fisheries management, tourism, and other policy issues. Our email address is polarregions@fcdo.gov.uk.

What information we collect about you and how

We may collect personal information from you. This personal data includes your:

• address
• browser cookies
• date of birth
• email address
• employer
• full name
• general location while in the British Antarctic Territory
• mobile telephone number
• passport
• vehicle registration (to identify a vessel or aircraft)
• nationality
• details of physical and mental health

We may collect this information from you in a number of ways, including information you provide to us directly as part of our application form.

As part of the application form, we ask the applicant for all of the above information so that we can approve the permit. We may also ask for the basic details of other crewmembers who will also be on the vessel, including name, nationality and employment. We will then ask for a full list of crew and passengers, with names and nationality, so that we are aware of who is entering the territory. This allows us to ensure that the crew has sufficient experience and skill to undergo the voyage.

We do not ask for details of physical and mental health, but the applicant must be able to satisfy us that they are safe to travel, with all trained staff and medical provisions in place.

How we use your information

Within 10 days from the confirmation of receipt of an Antarctic permit application, basic details are published on GOV.UK in accordance with regulation 4(2) of the Antarctic Regulations 1995 as amended by Regulation 2 of The Antarctic (Amendment) Regulations 2008/3066.

These details consist of the intended permit holder’s name, email contact and a summary of the intended activity. This information is also included on the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat Information Exchange in accordance with Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty which requires each Party to freely exchange information about its activities.

Full passenger lists including names and nationality details are required as the permit needs to cover all those participating in the expedition. Emergency contact details for the permit holder/operator consisting of a name and contact telephone number are required in case of emergency and are shared with the FCDO’s Global Response Centre and within the Polar Regions Team.

No automated decision making is used by the FCDO in the permitting process.

Why we collect personal information about you

The Polar Regions Department processes personal data for the purposes of permitting expeditions, vessels, aircraft and specialist activities which take place in Antarctica.

Who we share your information with and why

In addition to basic details published on the FCDO website, the Polar Regions Department will also exchange information about visitor activity in Antarctica as and where necessary if there are potential implications for other Parties to the Antarctic Treaty. For example, if the activity involved another Antarctic Treaty member, we would consult that Party to ensure there were no concerns. This will be limited to names only. No other personal details will be shared. Passport biodata pages that confirm the identity of the intended permit holder would not be shared.

For vessels who are registered in a different country’s flag, we contact that country’s relevant shipping registry to confirm that a vessel is suitable for sailing in the Antarctic. This usually only includes the vessel name and identifying numbers.

There may be other circumstances in which we may lawfully share your data with third parties. For example, we may be required to do so by law, by court order, or to prevent fraud or other crimes. Where we share data, however, we shall do so in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Our lawful basis for processing

We process this data because:

Public task: where we are carrying out a specific task in the public interest or exercising official authority. This is the most commonly used lawful basis in the FCDO as we are a ministerial department

We process this data because it is necessary to perform our official functions as a government department and to comply with the Antarctic Act 1994, Antarctic Act 2013 and Antarctic Regulations 1995/490 (as amended).

How long we keep your personal information for

We will keep your personal data for 10 years. After permits have been approved, they are stored in a secure cupboard. Your personal data will be destroyed securely in line with FCDO retention and disposal policy.

Your rights

There are 8 rights that you have when the Polar Regions Department is using your personal information. If you have any questions about these rights, you can contact the Data Protection Officer for more information.

• right to be informed: you have the right to be informed about what we do with your personal data
• right of access: you have the right to request a copy of any personal information we hold about you and what we do with it. This is known as a Subject Access Request. You can make a request by emailing information.rights@fcdo.gov.uk
• right to rectification: you have the right to request that any inaccurate personal data we hold is corrected or have incomplete personal information completed
• right to erasure: you have the right to request that your personal data is erased. This only applies in certain circumstances
• right to restrict processing: you have the right to request that we limit the use of your personal data. This only applies in certain circumstances
• right to data portability: you have the right to move, copy or transfer personal information from one IT system to another in a safe and secure way. This right only applies to certain information in certain circumstances
• right to object: you have the right to object to the use of your information, which means that we would have to stop using your personal information. This right only applies to certain information in certain circumstances
• rights related to automated decision making including profiling: if a decision is being made without human involvement in the decision making, you have the right to challenge and request a review of any decisions made

If your personal data is processed on the basis of consent, you have the right to withdraw consent to the use of your personal data at any time.

How to contact us

If you have any questions about this notice, consider that your personal data has been misused or mishandled, or would like to exercise any of your rights, you can contact us at polarregions@fcdo.gov.uk.

You can also contact the Data Protection Officer at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office:

Data Protection Officer
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH

Email: Data.Protection@fcdo.gov.uk

Tel: 020 7008 5000

How to make a complaint

You may also make a complaint to the Information Commissioner, who is an independent regulator. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF

Email: casework@ico.org.uk

Tel: 0303 123 1113

Changes to this notice

We encourage you to reread this privacy notice occasionally, as we will update it regularly, to keep you informed about how we use your personal information.

This privacy notice was last updated on 20 February 2023.