Privacy Policy for FirstSlotsAlert

Last Updated: July 5, 2025

FirstSlotsAlert, operated by The First Consultancy, is committed to safeguarding your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and handle your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) when you use our website (https://firstslotsalert.com) or the FirstSlotsAlert Chrome extension. PII refers to information that can identify, contact, or locate an individual, as defined by US privacy law. Please review this policy carefully to understand our practices.

What Information Do We Collect?

We collect the following information when you interact with our website or Chrome extension:

• Registration and Usage Data:
  • Name and Email Address: Provided during registration on the website to create an account and send a 6-digit security code for authentication.
  • Visa Preferences: Includes visa type (e.g., B1/B2, F1, H1B), country of application, preferred appointment locations (e.g., Chennai VAC, Hyderabad), and date ranges, configured via the website or extension.
  • US Visa Portal Credentials: Username, password, and security question answers, optionally stored locally in the Chrome extension's storage for auto-login functionality. These are not sent to our servers.
  • Authentication Data: A JSON Web Token (JWT) generated upon login with the 6-digit security code, stored locally for secure API communication.
• Automatically Collected Data:
  • Slot Availability Data: Collected when you interact with the US visa appointment portal (https://www.usvisascheduling.com), including location, available dates, and appointment types, to enable crowd-sourced notifications.
  • Usage Data: Includes browser type, IP address, and interaction logs (e.g., clicks, page visits) to improve functionality and user experience.
  • Cookies and Tracking: First-party cookies for session management and third-party cookies (e.g., Google Analytics) for analyzing website traffic.

How Do We Use Your Information?

We use your information to provide and enhance the FirstSlotsAlert service, including:

• Account Management: Your name, email, and security code authenticate and manage your account.
• Slot Monitoring: Visa preferences and slot data are processed to match available slots and send real-time email alerts.
• Automation: Locally stored credentials enable auto-login and slot selection within the extension.
• Crowd-Sourced Notifications: Anonymized slot data from users triggers alerts for others with matching preferences.
• Analytics: Usage data and cookies help optimize performance and user experience.
• Communication: Emails deliver slot alerts, verification codes, and service updates.

How Do We Protect Your Information?

We implement robust security measures to protect your data:

• Local Storage: Sensitive data (e.g., visa portal credentials) is stored locally in the Chrome extension and not transmitted to our servers.
• JWT Authentication: Secure API interactions use JWT-based authentication.
• Encryption: Data transmitted between your browser and our website is protected with HTTPS and SSL/TLS encryption.
• Access Controls: Only authorized personnel access PII, using industry-standard security practices.
• Data Minimization: We collect only essential data, such as email and visa preferences.

In case of a data breach, we will notify affected users via email or in-site notifications within 7 business days, per Fair Information Practice Principles.

Do We Use Cookies?

Yes, we use cookies to enhance your experience:

• First-Party Cookies: Manage sessions, authentication, and preferences.
• Third-Party Cookies: Google Analytics collects anonymized data on website usage (e.g., page views, session duration).
• Opting Out: Manage cookies via browser settings or use the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. Adjust ad preferences at Google Ad Settings.

Third-Party Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or transfer your PII except as follows:

• Service Providers: Anonymized data may be shared with trusted providers like Google Analytics to improve services. Review their privacy policies for details.
• Legal Compliance: We may disclose data if required by law or to protect FirstSlotsAlert, our users, or others.
• Crowd-Sourced Data: Anonymized slot data is used to trigger notifications without sharing PII.

Third-party sites linked from our service (e.g., https://www.usvisascheduling.com) have separate privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their practices.

California Online Privacy Protection Act (CalOPPA)

We comply with CalOPPA by:

• Posting a clear Privacy Policy at https://firstslotsalert.com/privacy.
• Detailing collected PII (e.g., name, email, visa preferences) and its uses.
• Allowing users to update or correct information via support@firstslotsalert.com.
• Notifying users of policy changes via email or in-site notifications.

Fair Information Practice Principles

We adhere to these principles:

• Notice/Awareness: We disclose data collection and usage practices in this policy.
• Choice/Consent: Users can opt out of non-essential data collection (e.g., cookies) and manage preferences.
• Data Security: Robust measures protect your data.
• Individual Redress: Users can pursue rights against non-compliant data practices by contacting us or authorities.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access: Request details of your PII.
• Correct: Update inaccurate information.
• Delete: Request account and data deletion, subject to legal obligations.
• Opt-Out: Stop email notifications or cookie-based tracking.

Contact support@firstslotsalert.com to exercise these rights. We will respond within 30 days.

Third-Party Links

Our services may link to third-party sites like https://www.usvisascheduling.com. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Review their policies before sharing information.

Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)

Our services are not intended for individuals under 13. We do not knowingly collect PII from children under 13. If we discover such data, we will delete it immediately. Contact support@firstslotsalert.com if you believe we have collected such information.

Contact Us

For questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, contact:

The First Consultancy
Attn: Grievance Officer
Ahmedabad, Gujarat 382350, India
Email: support@firstslotsalert.com

We will respond within 48 hours.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Users will be notified of material changes via email or in-site notifications at least 7 business days before they take effect. The updated policy will be posted at https://firstslotsalert.com/privacy with the revised “Last Updated” date.