Privacy & Data Security Policy

At SeafarersTax.com ("we", "our", or "us"), we recognize that Continuous Discharge Certificates (CDC), passport entries, Form 26AS, Annual Information Statements (AIS), and foreign remittance certificates are extraordinarily sensitive personal and financial assets. This Privacy Policy details how we collect, handle, protect, and process your data in strict compliance with the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the professional ethical code of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI).

1. Information We Collect

To provide accurate Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) day calculations under Rule 126, evaluate Section 6(1) residency, and prepare audit-proof ITR-2 filings, we collect:

• Identity & Contact Information: Full legal name, email address, WhatsApp/phone number, Permanent Account Number (PAN), and residency country.
• Maritime Voyage Data: CDC sign-on and sign-off stamp dates, vessel names, official IMO numbers, ports of call, and Articles of Agreement contracts.
• Financial Records: Bank statements for NRE/NRO accounts, Foreign Inward Remittance Certificates (FIRC), employer salary slips, Form 26AS, AIS/TIS reports, and prior-year ITR acknowledgments.
• Technical & Telemetry Data: IP address, device type, browser metadata, and non-identifying usage telemetry via Google Analytics (GA4) to ensure site stability and performance.

2. How We Use Your Data

Your information is used strictly and exclusively for:

1. Computing statutory stay days under Rule 126 and determining Section 6 Non-Resident (NRI) or RNOR status.
2. Reconciling high-value foreign salary credits reported in your AIS and Form 26AS.
3. Drafting, reviewing, and filing your official Income Tax Return (ITR-2) on the Government of India Income Tax e-Filing Portal.
4. Direct communication regarding defective notices under Section 139(9), rectification, or CPC intimation status updates.

3. Professional Confidentiality Guarantee (No Data Selling)

4. Document Storage & Bank-Grade Security

All data transmitted across SeafarersTax.com is protected with 256-Bit SSL/TLS military-grade encryption. Uploaded CDC scans, passport pages, and tax documents are stored in encrypted, isolated cloud environments with multi-factor authentication (MFA) access controls.

5. Data Retention & Right to Erasure

Under the Income-tax Act, 1961, tax assessment records must generally be preserved for up to 6 to 7 years to defend against potential Section 148A or Section 143(2) scrutiny inquiries. Upon conclusion of statutory retention requirements or upon written client request, non-essential working files are purged securely.

6. Cookies & Third-Party Services

We use standard first-party session cookies and Google Analytics (GA4 Tag `G-HMYTJ4ZJY8`) to evaluate aggregate website traffic, popular maritime tax guides, and page load speeds. You can disable cookies at any time via your browser settings without impacting your ability to read our tax guides.

7. Contact the Data Protection Officer

For inquiries regarding your personal data, document return, or privacy compliance, please contact our administrative desk: