Terms of Service

1. Acceptance of terms

By accessing or using ExpatStarterGuide ("the Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service. If you do not agree, do not use the Service. These terms apply to all users, including visitors, registered users, and paying customers.

2. Description of the Service

ExpatStarterGuide provides personalised expat relocation guides, task checklists, and country-specific information. The Service includes free and paid sections. Content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, immigration, or financial advice. Always verify information with official sources and qualified professionals before making decisions.

3. Accounts

You must provide accurate information when creating an account. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials. You must notify us immediately of any unauthorised access to your account. We reserve the right to terminate accounts that violate these terms.

4. Supporter contributions & premium access

Premium country sections unlock with a single one-time supporter contribution of €19, made through Ko-fi. One contribution unlocks the premium sections for all countries, permanently, for a single account. Contributions are processed by Ko-fi; we never receive or store your card details. By making a contribution, you confirm that you are authorised to use the payment method provided.

After your contribution, we email a single-use activation code to the email address associated with your Ko-fi payment. You redeem that code on our Support page to unlock premium access. Each code can be redeemed once and is consumed by the first account that redeems it.

5. Acceptable use

You agree not to: attempt to circumvent payment gating, scrape or reproduce content for commercial purposes, use the Service for any unlawful purpose, or interfere with the security or operation of the Service. Violation of these terms may result in immediate account termination.

6. Intellectual property

All content on ExpatStarterGuide — including text, data, design, code, and country guides — is owned by or licensed to ExpatStarterGuide. You may not reproduce, distribute, or create derivative works without our written permission. Your personal data remains your property.

7. Disclaimer of warranties

The Service is provided "as is" and "as available" without warranties of any kind. We do not guarantee that the content is complete, current, or error-free. Country regulations change frequently — always verify critical information with official government sources and qualified professionals before acting.

8. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, ExpatStarterGuide shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of, or inability to use, the Service or reliance on information provided. Our total liability for any claim shall not exceed the amount you paid us in the 12 months preceding the claim.

9. Changes to terms

We may update these terms from time to time. We will notify you of material changes via email or a prominent notice on the Service. Continued use of the Service after changes constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

10. Governing law

These terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of [PLACEHOLDER: specific country of establishment — e.g. Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands], without regard to conflict of law provisions. Any disputes shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the competent courts of [PLACEHOLDER: city/country of jurisdiction].

11. Contact

Questions about these terms: legal@expatstarterguide.com or use our contact page.