Case Status Tracker for USCIS – Privacy Policy

0. Important Notice

Case Status Tracker for USCIS is an independent tool developed by Taptastiq to help you conveniently monitor the status of your USCIS cases.

This App is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), or any other government agency. All official case information and decisions come from USCIS. This App provides a read-only view of information that USCIS makes available.

1. Information We Collect

By installing or using the App, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1.1 Information You Provide

We may collect information you provide directly to us, such as:

• USCIS case information – the USCIS receipt numbers you enter so the App can query and display your case status. You may also optionally add labels, nicknames, or notes for each case (for example, “I-485 – Adjustment of Status” or “Spouse’s case”).
• Account information (if applicable) – if the App offers account creation or sign-in (for example, to sync cases across devices), we may collect your email address and basic profile details that you choose to provide.
• Notification preferences – such as which cases you want to receive alerts for, and your in-App notification settings.
• Support communication – information you provide when you contact us for help, including your email address and the content of your message.

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you use the App, certain information may be collected automatically, such as:

• Device information – device model, operating system version, language, time zone, and identifiers provided by the platform (such as an advertising identifier).
• Log and usage data – such as app screens visited, features used (for example, adding a case, refreshing status, opening notifications), and approximate timestamps.
• Diagnostic data – crash logs, error reports, and performance diagnostics to help us improve stability and reliability of the App.
• Approximate location – only if provided indirectly through your IP address or device settings, to comply with regional requirements and understand where our App is used. We do not collect precise GPS location.

1.3 Permissions

The App may request certain mobile permissions, for example:

• Network access – to communicate with our servers and with USCIS systems.
• Notifications – to deliver alerts when your case status appears to change.

We do not access your contacts, photos, or personal files. We only request permissions that are necessary for the App to function.

1.4 Sensitive Data and Data About Others

We do not intentionally collect or store highly sensitive personal data such as:

• Social Security numbers or Alien numbers (A-numbers), unless you choose to put them in free-text notes.
• Government-issued ID images or documents.
• Credit card or bank account details (billing is handled by the app stores).
• Medical, biometric, genetic, or detailed family health records.

We strongly advise you not to enter full Social Security numbers, passport numbers, medical information, genetic details, or similar sensitive information about yourself or others into case labels, notes, or other free-text fields. If you choose to enter information about family members or third parties, please be aware that this may impact their privacy as well.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Look up and display the latest USCIS case status you request.
• Provide, operate, and maintain the App and its core features.
• Deliver notifications when we detect that a case’s status appears to have changed, subject to technical and external limitations.
• Improve performance, stability, and user experience.
• Monitor usage patterns to understand which features are useful.
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues, abuse, or misuse.
• Respond to your questions, requests, and support inquiries.

We may also use de-identified or aggregated data (data that does not identify you) to analyze trends, improve the App, and develop new features. We do not attempt to re-identify such data.

We do not sell your personal information for money or any other valuable consideration.

3. How We Obtain Case Status Information

The App retrieves case status information by querying systems or APIs made available by USCIS (or by accessing public case status endpoints) using the receipt numbers you provide.

• The App does not change, modify, or submit any data to USCIS on your behalf.
• The App is a read-only tool and cannot affect the outcome or processing of your case.
• All official case information comes directly from USCIS systems.

Because the data originates from USCIS, there may be delays, outages, or discrepancies outside of our control. Always rely on your official USCIS account or notices for critical decisions.

4. Advertising, Analytics & Purchases

Depending on the version of the App and your region, we may use third-party services for advertising, analytics, crash reporting, and subscriptions, for example:

• Google AdMob or similar mobile advertising networks – to display in-App advertisements.
• Firebase Analytics / Google Analytics for Firebase or similar analytics services – to understand usage and improve the product.
• Crashlytics or similar tools – for crash reporting and diagnostics.
• The app stores’ billing systems (such as Apple App Store or Google Play) – to process in-App purchases and subscriptions (for example, ad-free or premium plans).

These providers may collect certain information such as device identifiers, IP address, event data (e.g., which screen was opened), and purchase metadata. Their use of your data is governed by their own privacy policies and by data protection agreements we enter into with them.

You can control ad personalization or tracking on your device through your system privacy settings (for example, limiting ad tracking or resetting your advertising identifier). Choosing to limit tracking may reduce personalized ads but will not block all ads.

5. How We Share Information

We may share information in the following limited circumstances:

5.1 Service Providers and Third Parties

We may share information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us with functions such as hosting, analytics, crash reporting, push notifications, advertising, and billing. These providers may only use the information to perform services on our behalf and must protect it in accordance with contractual privacy and security obligations that are consistent with this Policy.

Third parties are not permitted to sell your personal information, to re-identify de-identified data, or to use your information for their own purposes without your separate, active consent.

5.2 Legal and Safety

We may disclose information if we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation, law, or valid legal process.
• Respond to lawful requests by public authorities.
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of Taptastiq, our users, or others.

5.3 Business Transfers

In connection with any merger, acquisition, or sale of assets involving Taptastiq, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. If this happens, we will:

• Notify you within the App and/or by email before the transfer is completed.
• Require the new owner to honor privacy protections that are at least as protective as those described here, or
• Give you a meaningful opportunity to delete your account and data or to securely export your information before the transfer takes effect.

6. Data Security and Breach Notification

We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This may include encryption in transit, access controls, and logging.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your device and, where applicable, your account credentials.

If we become aware of a data breach that materially affects your personal information, we will notify you as soon as reasonably possible, consistent with applicable law. We will provide information about what happened, what data may be affected, steps we are taking, and actions you can take to protect yourself.

7. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain your information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.

• Active accounts: We keep your account data, USCIS receipt numbers, and related settings for as long as your account is active.
• Dormant accounts: If you do not sign in or use the App for an extended period (currently 24 months), we may deactivate or delete your account and associated data after providing notice when feasible.
• Logs and diagnostics: Diagnostic, security, and analytic logs are generally retained for up to 24 months and then deleted or anonymized.

7.1 Immediate In-App Account & Data Deletion

You can permanently delete your account and associated personal data at any time directly inside the App:

• Open the App and go to Settings > Account > Delete account & data, or a similarly named option.
• Confirm that you want to permanently delete your account and data.

When you confirm deletion in the App, we immediately begin deleting your account and associated personal data from our active production systems. This process typically completes within minutes and in all cases will occur as soon as technically possible.

Encrypted backups and system logs that may still contain limited traces of your data are removed or overwritten in our normal backup rotation cycle, which is currently within 30 days. During this period, your data is not used for any new processing other than security, fraud prevention, or legal compliance.

7.2 Data Deletion by Request

If you are unable to access the App or prefer to request deletion through support, you can contact us using the methods described in the Contact Us section. After verifying your identity, we will delete your account and associated personal data as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event within 30 days, unless we are required to keep certain data for legal reasons.

8. Your Rights, Choices & Data Sharing Risks

Depending on your location and applicable law (including the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, where applicable), you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

• Accessing the information we hold about you.
• Requesting correction of inaccurate information.
• Requesting deletion of your information, subject to legal obligations.
• Requesting details about how we share your data with third parties.
• Objecting to or restricting certain types of processing.
• For California residents, requesting to know the categories of information we have collected and confirming that we do not sell your personal information.

You may also:

• Remove cases or notes directly in the App (for example, deleting a case from your list).
• Use the in-App Delete account & data feature to permanently delete your account and associated personal data immediately.
• Control notification, tracking, and permission settings on your mobile device at any time through system settings.

Sharing information about immigration matters, family relationships, or other sensitive topics can have consequences for you and others. Please consider what you enter into the App and avoid including unnecessary sensitive information about yourself or third parties.

To exercise your rights or request data deletion via support, you can contact us at: support@taptastiq.com.

9. Children’s Privacy

The App is not intended for children under 13 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete such information.

10. International Data Transfers

Information we collect may be processed and stored in countries other than the one in which you reside, including the United States. By using the App, you consent to the transfer of your information to these countries, which may have different data protection laws than your country.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy and Active Consent

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will:

• Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page, and
• Provide a clear, plain-language summary of what has changed inside the App and/or on our website, and
• Ask for your active consent (for example, by presenting an in-App prompt where you must tap “I agree” before continuing to use the updated App).

If you do not agree to the updated Policy, you may stop using the App and use the in-App deletion feature to delete your account and data.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your data, please contact us:

Taptastiq LLC
Email: support@taptastiq.com