Purpose and legal basis for the processing of your personal information

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information in order to carry out the necessary casework.

Processing personal information includes general personal information such as name, address and contact information, and the processing of these is usually based on §8 s. 1, no. 3 and 5 of the  Personal Data Protection Act, which deals with the processing of personal information that is required for the Family Law Administration to be able to tend to public interests or cases that belong under the Familly Law Administration’s public authority.

We process your sensitive personal information on the basis of §12, s. 1, no. 7 of the Personal Data Protection Act.

Sensitive personal information is information concerning skin colour, race or ethnic origin, political, religious or philosophical persuasion, or labour union affiliation as well as the processing of genetic data, biometric data with the purpose to unambiguously identify a person, personal health information, information regarding sexual matters, culpable circumstances or information about social issues and other entirely private information.

When processing information regarding culpable circumstances, this information will be processed based on the provisions in §13, no. 1 of the Personal Data Protection Act.

In its capacity as a public authority, the Family Law Administration handles cases in several different specialist fields. Laws and executive orders that apply in each specialist field form the legal basis when the Family Laws Administration processes personal information according to the mentioned provisions of the Personal Data Protection Act.

The specific provisions are explained under each specialist field.

For how long do we keep your personal information?

As a public authority, we are obligated to archive incoming and outgoing mail. When we process your personal information and keep it in connection with our work, we follow the applicable guidelines for how long we may keep your information. The individual field dictates how long the information may be kept.

In some cases, we are obliged to keep your information for an unlimited time. In these cases, the information is transferred to an archive. The Family Law Administration cases are transferred to storage at the National Archives of the Faroe Islands in accordance with the Parliamentary Act concerning archives.

The Family Law Administration deletes the information when the duty of preservation expires and any archiving requirement is met. When the information is archived in the National Archives of the Faroe Islands or deleted, the Family Law Administration no longer has access to it.

When and how do we use automated decisions?

The Family Law Administration does not use automated decisions.

What are your rights?

You have the following rights according to the Personal Data Protection Act:

• You have the right to request access to your personal information – §26 on the registered party’s right of access
• You have the right to have inaccurate personal information rectified, or completed if it is incomplete – §27 on the right of rectification
• You have the right to ask for your personal data to be erased if it is no longer necessary in relation to the purpose for which it was collected or processed – §28 on the right to erasure
• You have the right to restrict processing of your personal information – §29 on the right to restrict processing
• You have an absolute right to object to and stop the processing of your personal information being used for direct marketing – §33 the right to object
• You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information – §32 on the right to object
• If the processing of your personal information is based on consent, you may at any time withdraw a previously given consent. Withdrawal of consent does not invalidate the processing of your personal information based on consent prior to the withdrawal of consent – §9, s. 3 on the right to withdraw consent at any time
• You have the right to demand to be provided with your personal information in an organised, accessible and machine-readable format – §31 on the right to transfer personal information data and data portability

There may be conditions and restrictions relating to the rights mentioned above due to the particular circumstances that apply in connection with the processing of data. Generally, you will not be able to erase information from a Family Law Administration case owing to the fact that the information may still be relevant for future cases and due to the Family Law Administration’s obligation to transfer personal information to storage at the National Archives of the Faroe Islands in accordance to the laws of the Løgting concerning archives.

Contact our Data Protection Officer if you wish to make a rights request. Further information on contacting our Data Protection Officer, see above. 

The task of the Data Protection Officer is to support that the Family Law Administration complies with the applicable data protection regulation. Furthermore, the Data Protection Officer assists the Family Law Administration’s management and employees with advice and guidance regarding the requirements for the secure handling of personal data in accordance with the Personal Data Protection Act.

What can the Data Protection Officer not assist with?

The Data Protection Officer is not able to assist you with the professional case processing or the decisions made within a specialist field.

The Data Protection Officer is not able to

• provide guidance concerning rules or practice within a specialist field.
• assess whether errors have been made in connection with the case processing.
• change decisions made by the Family Law Administration.
• assist with formulating appeals.

Read more about the role of the Data Protection Officer on the Data Protection Authority’s website www.dat.fo.

Contact the Data Protection Officer

Contact the Data Protection Officer if you have specific questions about the way the Family Law Administration manages your personal information. 

E-mail: famf@famf.fo. “Att: Data Protection Officer”.

Address:
The Family Law Administration,
Dr. Jakobsens gøta 21,
100 Tórshavn.
“Att: Data Protection Officer”.

You can also write to us and ask our Data Protection Officer to call you.

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you: 

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail
• Personal registration number
• Gender
• Marital status
• Nationality
• Information about family members, e.g. spouse, cohabiting partner, children

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Genetic data with the purpose to unambiguously identify a person (not relevant if paternity is awknowledged by personally meeting at the Family Law Administration)

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• The other parent
• The National Register
• Hospital

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.

• The other parent
• The court (not relevant if paternity is awknowledged by personally meeting at the Family Law Administration)
• The church parish
• The National Register
• The police (only relevant, if the mother doesn't disclose who the father of the child is)

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration's email system is located on a Cloudservice abroad. However, the Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case.

We may share your personal information with e.g.:

• The other parent/party in the case receding abroad

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you:

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail
• Personal registration number
• Marital status
• Nationality
• Social circumstances
• Information about family members, such as your spouse, cohabiting partner, children

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Criminal record 

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• The other parent
• The National Registry
• Child Welfare Services
• Police
• School or daycare
• Gigni (health counsellor)
• GP 
• Mental ward
• The court

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.

• The other parent
• Child Welfare Service
• National Register
• The police

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration's email system is located on a Cloudservice abroad. The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case.

We may share your personal information with e.g.:

• The other parent/party in the case receding abroad

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you:

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail
• Personal registration number
• Income
• Information about relatives, such as a spouse, cohabiting partner, children

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Sexual orientation
• Criminal record

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• Spouse or cohabiting partner
• Public authorities or public registry

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.

• Your spouse
• Public authorities and public registration
• The police (e.g. in the case of a forged signature)
• The Danish Immigration Service

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration's email system is located on a Cloudservice abroad. The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case.

We may share your personal information with e.g.:

• The spouse in the case receding abroad
• Foreign embassies
• The Danish Immigration Service

Foreign Adoption

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you:

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number 
• E-mail 
• Personal registration number
• Civil status
• Nationality
• Income information
• Occupation
• Job title
• Terms of employment
• Social circumstances
• Information about family members, such as a spouse, cohabiting partner, children
• Property conditions
• Accounting data

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Personal health information
• Sexual orientation
• Ethnic origin
• Religious persuasion

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• Spouse or cohabiting partner
• Public authorities, such as child protective services, schools, the police etc.
• Hospital or doctor

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.

• A party to the case
• Public authorities
• Hospital and doctor

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case.

In foreign adoption cases, the Family Law Administration makes a report that includes personal information about you, which is sent to Ankestyrelse (The National Board of Appeals). Ankestyrelsen is obligated to send the report to the adoption authority in the country where the adoption takes place, which is usually a third-party country.

Are you involved in a stepparent- or family adoption case?

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you:

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number 
• E-mail 
• Personal registration number
• Income information (tax information in cases concerning family adoption)
• Occupation (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)
• Job title (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)
• Terms of employment (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)
• Social circumstances (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)
• Information about family members, such as your spouse, cohabiting partner, children
• Property conditions (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)
• Accounting data (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Personal health information (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)
• Ethnic origin (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)
• Religious persuasion (required in cases concerning the adoption of foreign children)

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• The other parent
• Spouse or cohabiting partner
• Your child/children
• Public authorities, such as Child Protective Services
• Hospital or doctor

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.

• A party to the case
• Public authority and public registers

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case.

In stepparent- or family adoption cases involving foreign children, the Family Law Administration makes a report that includes personal information about you that is sent to the adoption authority in the country where the adoption takes place, which is usually a third-party country.

Placing for adoption

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you: 

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number 
• E-mail 
• Personal registration number
• Social circumstances
• Information about family members, e.g. spouse, cohabiting partner, children

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Personal health information
• Ethnic origin

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• The other parent
• Public authorities, such as child protective services
• Hospitals or doctors

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.

• The other parent
• Public authorities, such as the child protective service, schools, the police etc.
• Hospitals and doctors

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case. 

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you:

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail
• Identification number
• Gender
• Civil status
• Nationality
• Income information
• Occupation
• Job title
• Terms of employment
• Information about family members, e.g. spouse, cohabiting partner, children
• Property conditions
• Accounting data

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Religious beliefs (in cases concerning confirmation payment)

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• The person who provides for the child and with which the child resides
• Employer
• Public registration
• Public authorities (e.g. TAKS and municipality of residence)
• Foreign authorities (income information)

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.

• The other parent
• Third-parties, if the child resides with and is supported by others
• Public authorities (e.g. TAKS and municipality of residence)

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case. We may share your personal information with e.g.:

• The party in the case receding abroad
• Foreign authorities, responsible for e.g. making reports, or where income information is collected.

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you:

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail
• Identification number
• Nationality
• Civil status
• Annual tax returns
• Property conditions
• Social circumstances
• Information about family members, e.g. spouse, cohabiting partner, children, siblings, parents

b) Sensitive information, such as:

• Personal health information

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other sources. These generally include:

• Relatives
• Guardian
• Public authorities, such as TAKS, residence municipality, a court of law
• Hospitals and doctors

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.:

• Relatives
• Guardian
• Hospitals and doctors
• Nursing or care home
• The administration of a financial institution
• Environment Agency
• Other public authorities

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case.

We may share your personal information with e.g.:

• A party in the case receding abroad

What information do we collect about you?

The Family Law Administration processes your personal information for specific purposes to be able to preserve our regulatory function, and we only process the necessary information. Generally, we collect the following information about you:

a) General personal information, such as:

• Name
• Address
• Telephone number
• E-mail
• Information regarding relatives such as spouse, partner, children

Where do we obtain information about you?

We usually collect your information from you directly. We may also obtain or collect information from other parent.

How do we share your personal information?

Our employees have a duty of non-disclosure regarding you and your circumstances and may not, without justification, pass on or hand over information they have gained knowledge of in connection with their job. The Family Law Administration only shares information when authorized or required by law, or with your consent. We may share your personal information with e.g.:

• The other spouse

When do we share your information with a third-party country?

The Family Law Administration does not, as a general rule, share personal information with third-party countries, including foreign authorities or international organisations in third-party countries, unless it is necessary for the processing of the case.

We may share your personal information with e.g the other spouse if receding abroad

You can submit an appeal to the Data Protection Authority concerning the handling of your personal information.

The Data Protection Authority
Heiðavegur 25
600 Saltangará

E-mail: dat@dat.fo