Privacy Policy

Overview

USA Newcomer Guide provides practical educational guides for newcomers to the United States. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, when we share it, and what choices you have. It applies to this website and any related account or progress features we make available.

Information We Collect

In the current version, accounts are disabled and we do not ask you to create a profile. You can read guides without giving us your name, email address, immigration status, financial information, health information, Social Security number, government ID, or payment information.

The site may store limited information in your browser, such as guide progress, checklist progress, bookmarks, dismissed prompts, and recent search terms. This information stays on your device unless a future account feature is enabled and you choose to sync it.

If account features are enabled later, we may collect your email address, username, optional country of origin, account acceptance timestamps, guide progress, checklist progress, read status, hidden dashboard guides, and bookmarks. We will not enable account sync for the current public launch.

Information Collected Automatically

Our hosting provider and security systems may receive routine technical information when you visit the site, such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages requested, referring page, timestamps, and error logs. We use this information to operate, secure, debug, and improve the site.

We do not use advertising cookies, cross-site behavioral tracking, third-party ad pixels, or analytics tools such as Google Analytics, PostHog, Mixpanel, Hotjar, Plausible, or Sentry in the current version.

How We Use Information

We use information to provide the site, remember your local progress on your device, maintain security, prevent abuse, fix bugs, measure basic site reliability, respond to privacy requests, and comply with legal obligations. If accounts are enabled later, we will use account information to provide private saved progress, bookmarks, dashboard features, and account support.

AI-Assisted Content

We may use AI tools to help draft, edit, organize, or review guide content. Human review remains important because the site covers practical topics where rules, fees, deadlines, and official processes can change.

We do not intentionally send your private account data, local progress, search history, or sensitive personal information to AI providers in the current version. If we add an interactive AI feature later, we will update this policy before using it and explain what data the feature sends, stores, or uses.

Legal Bases For EU And UK Visitors

If the GDPR or UK GDPR applies to you, we process personal data under these legal bases: legitimate interests to operate, secure, maintain, and improve the site; consent when you choose optional features such as account sync, cookies that require consent, or a future newsletter; contract when we provide account features you ask to use; and legal obligation when we must comply with applicable law.

When We Share Information

We do not sell personal information. We do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. We may share limited information with service providers that help us host, secure, operate, or maintain the site. These providers may process information only for the services they provide to us.

The site has optional account code, but account sign-in and account storage are disabled for the current public launch. If accounts are enabled later, an account authentication and database provider may process account, session, and saved-progress data. If Google sign-in is enabled later, Google may process information needed to authenticate you. We may also disclose information if required by law, to protect rights and safety, or as part of a business transfer such as a merger or sale of the project.

Cookies And Local Storage

The current version uses browser local storage to remember progress and recent searches on your device. You can clear this information by clearing your browser site data. If account features are enabled later, authentication may use cookies or similar technologies to keep you signed in and protect sessions.

Data Retention

Local progress stays in your browser until you clear it or the site changes its local storage format. Server logs are kept only as long as needed for security, debugging, legal, and operational purposes. If accounts are enabled later, account data will be kept while your account exists unless we need to retain limited records for legal, security, fraud-prevention, or backup purposes.

International Data Transfers

We operate from the United States. If you visit from outside the United States, your information may be processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate. When required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for international transfers, such as standard contractual clauses, adequacy decisions, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.

Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live, privacy laws may give you rights over your personal information. These may include the right to know or access what we hold, ask us to correct inaccurate information, ask us to delete information, receive a portable copy, restrict or object to certain processing, withdraw consent, ask how information is used or shared, or complain to a privacy regulator.

These rights may apply under laws such as U.S. state privacy laws, the GDPR, the UK GDPR, Canada's PIPEDA, Australia's Privacy Act, Brazil's LGPD, or similar laws where you live. Some laws also let residents opt out of sale, sharing, targeted advertising, or certain profiling. We do not sell personal information, share it for cross-context behavioral advertising, or use it for targeted advertising in the current version.

If accounts are enabled later, account settings may include controls to clear saved progress or delete your account. For local browser data, you can clear site data through your browser. EU, UK, and EEA visitors may also have the right to complain to a data protection authority.

Children

This site is for people who are at least 18 years old. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 or from anyone under the minimum age required by local law. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us so we can review and delete it if required.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect information we process. No website, hosting provider, database, or transmission method can guarantee perfect security.

Storage Buckets And Uploaded Files

The current version does not use public file-upload storage, does not ask users to upload documents, and does not store passports, IDs, leases, medical records, tax documents, or other personal files. If we add uploads or file storage later, we will update this policy before launch and explain what files are collected, who can access them, and whether any stored files are public.

Changes To This Policy

We may update this policy as the site changes. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date and, when appropriate, provide additional notice.

Contact

To make a privacy request or ask a privacy question, email privacy@newtousa.org.