PRIVACY POLICY

**Effective Date:** [Effective Date]

**Last Updated:** [Last Updated]

Welcome to Homestay.pro. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how Homestay.pro collects, uses, stores, shares, and protects your personal information when you visit our website, create an account, submit an application, communicate with us, or participate in our international cultural exchange program. We are committed to processing personal information in accordance with applicable privacy and data protection laws and industry best practices. By accessing or using Homestay.pro, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and accepted the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please discontinue using our website and services.

1. About Homestay.pro

Homestay.pro is an international cultural exchange platform dedicated to connecting international participants with carefully selected Chinese host families for authentic cultural exchange experiences. Our program encourages mutual understanding through daily family life, language communication, and cultural participation. Homestay.pro is not an accommodation booking platform, travel agency, employment agency, educational institution, or volunteer placement organization. Our role is to facilitate meaningful cultural exchange while providing reasonable administrative support throughout the application, matching, and participation process.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

During registration, application, communication, verification, and participation in our program, we may collect the following information:

• Full name.
• Date of birth.
• Gender.
• Nationality.
• Passport information.
• Residential address.
• Email address.
• Telephone number.
• Emergency contact information.
• Personal photographs.
• Self-introduction.
• Native language and other language abilities.
• Educational background.
• Occupation or current status.
• Personal interests and hobbies.
• Dietary preferences.
• Medical conditions or allergy information voluntarily provided.
• Cultural exchange expectations.
• Preferred program duration.
• Preferred destination within China.
• Visa-related information where applicable.
• Police Clearance Certificate or Certificate of No Criminal Record where required.
• Any additional information voluntarily submitted during the application process.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit or use the Homestay.pro website, certain technical information may be collected automatically.

• IP address.
• Browser type and browser version.
• Device model and operating system.
• Language preferences.
• Access date and time.
• Pages visited.
• Website usage statistics.
• Cookies and similar technologies.
• Login records.
• Security logs.
• Website performance information.
• Network connection information.

3. How We Use Your Information

Your personal information may be used for the following purposes.

• To process and review your application.
• To verify your identity and eligibility.
• To evaluate whether you meet the program requirements.
• To match you with an appropriate Chinese host family.
• To communicate with you regarding your application and participation.
• To arrange airport pickup assistance when applicable.
• To provide participant support before, during, and after your program.
• To improve participant safety and program quality.
• To operate, maintain, and improve our website.
• To respond to inquiries and customer service requests.
• To detect, prevent, and investigate fraud or unauthorized activities.
• To protect the security and integrity of our platform.
• To comply with applicable laws, regulations, and legal obligations.
• To resolve disputes and enforce our Terms of Service.
• To maintain internal administrative, legal, and operational records.
• To conduct statistical analysis using anonymized or aggregated information for service improvement and future program development.

4. Legal Basis for Processing

Where applicable, Homestay.pro processes personal information on one or more of the following legal bases.

• Your consent.
• Performance of a contract.
• Compliance with legal obligations.
• Protection of vital interests.
• Legitimate business interests that do not override your fundamental rights and freedoms.
• Any other legal basis permitted under applicable laws and regulations.

If processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw your consent at any time, subject to applicable legal requirements. Withdrawal of consent will not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before the withdrawal.

5. Host Family Matching

To facilitate our cultural exchange program, Homestay.pro may share limited personal information with carefully selected potential host families solely for the purpose of evaluating compatibility and determining whether a suitable match can be established.

The information that may be shared includes:

• First name.
• Nationality.
• Age.
• Personal introduction.
• Interests and hobbies.
• Languages spoken.
• Personal photographs.
• Cultural exchange expectations.
• Dietary preferences.
• Lifestyle preferences relevant to the matching process.

Sensitive personal information will only be shared when reasonably necessary to ensure participant safety, accommodate special requirements, or facilitate a successful cultural exchange experience. Host families are expected to treat all participant information as confidential and may use such information only for purposes directly related to the Homestay.pro cultural exchange program.

6. Information Sharing and Disclosure

Homestay.pro respects your privacy and does not sell, rent, lease, or trade your personal information to third parties for commercial or marketing purposes. We only disclose personal information when it is necessary to provide our services, comply with legal obligations, protect legitimate interests, or ensure the safety and successful operation of our cultural exchange program.

Your personal information may be shared under the following circumstances.

• With approved host families for the purpose of evaluating compatibility and facilitating cultural exchange.
• With authorized service providers who assist us in operating our website and program.
• With airport pickup coordinators when transportation assistance has been arranged.
• With customer support providers assisting participant services.
• With cloud hosting providers responsible for secure data storage.
• With technology providers responsible for website maintenance and system security.
• With payment service providers where payment processing is required.
• With insurance providers where applicable.
• With professional legal, accounting, or consulting advisors.
• With government authorities where disclosure is required by applicable law.
• With immigration authorities where legally necessary.
• With law enforcement agencies in accordance with legal requirements.
• With courts or regulatory authorities when required during legal proceedings.
• With other parties when you have provided your explicit consent.

All third parties receiving personal information are expected to maintain appropriate confidentiality, security, and privacy protections and may only process such information for authorized purposes.

7. International Data Transfers

Because Homestay.pro operates internationally, your personal information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in countries outside your country of residence, including the People's Republic of China.

Where international transfers occur, we implement reasonable safeguards to ensure that your personal information receives an adequate level of protection consistent with applicable privacy laws.

Such safeguards may include:

• Contractual data protection agreements.
• Technical and organizational security measures.
• Encryption during transmission where appropriate.
• Restricted access controls.
• Internal confidentiality obligations.
• Other legally recognized transfer mechanisms where applicable.

By participating in our services, you acknowledge that your personal information may be transferred internationally in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

8. Data Security

Homestay.pro implements reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, destruction, misuse, accidental loss, or unlawful processing.

Our security measures may include:

• Secure server infrastructure.
• SSL encrypted communications where appropriate.
• Password protection and authentication systems.
• Role-based access control.
• Internal confidentiality agreements.
• Employee privacy training.
• Continuous system monitoring.
• Firewall and intrusion detection systems.
• Routine security assessments.
• Data backup and disaster recovery procedures.
• Security incident response procedures.
• Access logging and audit records.

Although we make every reasonable effort to protect your information, no electronic storage system or method of transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be completely secure. Therefore, Homestay.pro cannot guarantee absolute security, and users acknowledge that they provide personal information at their own risk.

9. Data Retention

Homestay.pro retains personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, enforce our agreements, and maintain appropriate business records.

Retention periods may vary depending on the nature of the information and applicable legal requirements.

Personal information may be retained for the following purposes:

• Processing applications.
• Managing active cultural exchange programs.
• Providing post-program support.
• Meeting legal and regulatory obligations.
• Preventing fraud and abuse.
• Maintaining financial and accounting records.
• Resolving complaints and disputes.
• Protecting the legitimate interests of Homestay.pro.

When personal information is no longer required, we will securely delete, anonymize, or otherwise dispose of such information using reasonable technical and organizational measures.

10. Cookies and Similar Technologies

Homestay.pro uses cookies and similar technologies to improve website functionality, analyze website performance, enhance user experience, remember user preferences, and maintain website security.

Cookies may be used to:

• Maintain login sessions.
• Remember language preferences.
• Improve website performance.
• Analyze visitor behavior.
• Enhance website security.
• Prevent fraudulent activity.
• Personalize website functionality.
• Measure website traffic and usage.

Most web browsers allow users to control or disable cookies through browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect certain features or functionality of the Homestay.pro website.

11. Children's Privacy

Homestay.pro is intended for individuals who meet the minimum age requirements established for participation in our cultural exchange program.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children below the minimum legal age without appropriate authorization from a parent or legal guardian where required by applicable law.

If we become aware that personal information has been collected from a child in violation of applicable laws, we will take reasonable steps to delete such information as soon as practicable.

Parents or legal guardians who believe that a child has submitted personal information may contact Homestay.pro to request review or deletion of such information.

12. Your Privacy Rights

Subject to applicable laws and regulations, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information. Homestay.pro will make reasonable efforts to respond to legitimate requests within a reasonable period of time.

You may have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• Request deletion of your personal information where permitted by law.
• Request restriction of certain processing activities.
• Object to specific processing activities where applicable.
• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• Request a copy of your personal information in a commonly used electronic format where applicable.
• Request that your information be transferred to another organization where legally required.
• Lodge a complaint with an applicable supervisory authority if you believe your rights have been violated.

Certain requests may be limited where Homestay.pro is legally required to retain information or where retention is necessary to protect legal rights, comply with regulatory obligations, prevent fraud, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements.

13. Participant Responsibilities

Participants are responsible for ensuring that all personal information submitted to Homestay.pro is accurate, complete, and up to date.

Participants agree to:

• Provide truthful application information.
• Notify Homestay.pro promptly of any significant changes to personal information.
• Protect the confidentiality of their account credentials.
• Avoid sharing false, misleading, or fraudulent information.
• Cooperate with identity verification procedures where required.
• Respect the privacy and personal information of host families and other participants.
• Use information obtained through the platform only for legitimate cultural exchange purposes.

Participants remain responsible for all activities conducted through their accounts unless unauthorized use has been reported without unreasonable delay.

14. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Homestay.pro website may contain links to third-party websites, applications, payment platforms, social media services, or external resources.

These third-party services operate independently from Homestay.pro and maintain their own privacy policies and terms of use.

Homestay.pro does not control, endorse, or accept responsibility for:

• The privacy practices of third-party websites.
• The accuracy of information provided by third parties.
• The security of external platforms.
• Products or services offered by third parties.
• Any damages or losses arising from the use of third-party services.

Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites before providing personal information.

15. Confidentiality During the Cultural Exchange Program

Participants and host families may obtain personal information about one another during the matching process and throughout the cultural exchange program.

Both parties agree to respect the privacy of each other and to use personal information solely for purposes directly related to the Homestay.pro program.

Without prior consent, participants and host families should not:

• Publish private personal information.
• Share confidential documents.
• Disclose private contact information to unrelated third parties.
• Use photographs or personal information for commercial purposes.
• Engage in harassment, intimidation, or misuse of personal information.
• Impersonate another participant or host family member.

Homestay.pro encourages all participants and host families to communicate respectfully and responsibly throughout the cultural exchange experience.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Homestay.pro reserves the right to update, revise, or modify this Privacy Policy at any time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations, industry standards, operational practices, or technological developments.

When material changes are made, we may provide notice through our website, participant accounts, email communications, or other reasonable methods where appropriate.

The revised Privacy Policy becomes effective on the Effective Date stated at the beginning of the updated version.

Your continued use of Homestay.pro following the publication of an updated Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the revised terms.

17. Governing Law

This Privacy Policy shall be governed by and interpreted in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations governing the operation of Homestay.pro, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Nothing contained in this Privacy Policy shall limit any mandatory legal rights that users may have under applicable privacy or consumer protection laws.

18. Contact Us

If you have any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or the processing of your personal information, you may contact Homestay.pro using the contact information provided on our official website.

Reasonable efforts will be made to respond to privacy-related inquiries in a timely manner.

19. Entire Agreement

This Privacy Policy forms an integral part of the Terms of Service governing your use of Homestay.pro.

If any provision of this Privacy Policy is determined to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable under applicable law, the remaining provisions shall remain in full force and effect.

Failure by Homestay.pro to enforce any provision of this Privacy Policy shall not constitute a waiver of any rights or remedies available under applicable law.

20. Acceptance of This Privacy Policy

By creating an account, submitting an application, accessing the Homestay.pro website, or participating in any Homestay.pro cultural exchange program, you acknowledge that you have carefully read this Privacy Policy, understand its contents, and agree to the collection, use, storage, disclosure, and protection of your personal information as described herein.

If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, you should immediately discontinue use of the Homestay.pro website and services.

This Privacy Policy shall remain in effect until replaced by a newer version published by Homestay.pro.