Terms of Use – Expatriate Helpers (Global)

SOS Expat by WorldExpat OÜ (the "Platform", "SOS", "we")

Version 2.2 – Last updated: 16 June 2025

1Definitions

Expatriate Helper (“Helper”): any person registered on the Platform to offer, on an independent basis, non-legal and non-medical assistance services to Users (guidance, practical support, informal translation, local networking, etc.).

User: any person using the Platform to contact a Helper.

Connection: the technical/operational introduction made by the Platform between a User and a Helper (transmission of contact details and/or opening of a communication channel and/or acceptance by the Helper of a request submitted through the Platform).

Country of Operation: the jurisdiction primarily targeted by the User’s request at the time of Connection; failing that, the User’s country of residence at the date of the request.

Connection Fee: fixed fee payable to SOS per Connection (art. 7): €19 if paid in EUR or $25 USD if paid in USD, subject to change and/or local rate schedules by country/currency, with prospective effect.

Payment Service Providers: third-party services processing payments and fund distribution.

2Purpose, Scope and Acceptance

2.1. These Terms of Use govern access to and use of the Platform by Helpers.

2.2. SOS Expat acts solely as a technical intermediary for Connections. SOS Expat is not the employer, agent, or partner of Helpers, provides no legal, medical, tax, accounting, or other regulated advice, and is not a party to contracts between Helpers and Users.

2.3. Electronic acceptance (click-wrap): Registration and/or use of the Platform constitutes acceptance of these Terms, electronic signature, and contractual consent. SOS may retain technical evidence (timestamps, identifiers).

2.4. Modifications: SOS may update the Terms and/or fee schedules (by country/currency) with prospective effect by publishing them on the Platform. Continued use constitutes acceptance.

2.5. Professional capacity (B2B): The Helper declares to act solely for professional purposes; consumer protection regimes do not apply to the SOS Expat–Helper relationship.

3Helper status – Compliance, authorizations, and responsibilities

3.1. Independence: The Helper acts as an independent professional; no employment, agency, partnership, or joint venture relationship is created with SOS Expat.

3.2. Work authorization & immigration status: The Helper is solely responsible for obtaining and maintaining all required authorizations in each Country of Operation (visa, work permit, business registration/self-employment, insurance, local licenses, etc.). SOS Expat does not verify such authorizations and assumes no responsibility in this regard.

3.3. Unregulated services: The Helper agrees not to provide regulated services (e.g. legal, medical, financial, accounting, or real estate advice, etc.) without holding the required authorizations/licenses and full compliance with local laws. Otherwise, the Helper must refrain from such services and refer the User to a duly licensed professional (e.g. a registered lawyer).

3.4. General compliance: The Helper complies with applicable laws/regulations (consumer protection, e-commerce, advertising/solicitation, fair competition, AML/KYC where applicable, taxation, data protection, sanctions/export, and personal safety).

3.5. Insurance: The Helper declares to hold necessary insurance (e.g., professional liability) covering their activities and territories of operation.

3.6. Confidentiality: The Helper protects Users’ information and shall not disclose it except where legally required or with consent.

4Account, verification, and security

4.1. Registration One (1) account per Helper; information must be accurate, complete, and up to date (identity, contact details, service descriptions, operational areas, etc.).

4.2. Verification SOS Expat may perform reasonable checks (identity, profile consistency, sanctions/KYC screenings via Providers) and may refuse/suspend/remove access for reasons of security, compliance, or service quality.

4.3. Access security The Helper protects their login credentials. Any activity under the account is deemed to have been performed by them.

4.4. Inactivity & termination. After 365 days of inactivity, the account may be automatically deactivated following notification. The Helper may close their account at any time after fulfilling their outstanding obligations. SOS Expat may suspend or terminate an account for violation of the Terms, without prejudice to other remedies.

4.5. Electronic communications. The Helper consents to receive any notifications related to the Terms by electronic means (email, in-app notification, publication on the Platform).

5Use Rules – Quality, Prohibited Conduct, No Circumvention

5.1. Quality & accurate description The Helper must describe services accurately, without promising results. The Helper must not claim false professional status (e.g., regulated profession not held).

5.2. Prohibitions Illegal, discriminatory, or misleading content; unfair practices; abusive data collection or use; circumvention or reverse-engineering of the Platform; collusion/boycott intended to harm; sanctions/export violations; any unlawful activity.

5.3. Non-circumvention Each new Connection with a new User through the Platform gives rise to Connection Fees (art. 7). It is forbidden to avoid such fees by bypassing the Platform for a new introduction.

5.4. Availability The Platform is provided “as is”; uninterrupted availability is not guaranteed (maintenance, incidents, force majeure). Access may be restricted where required by law.

6Helper–User Relationship (Off-Platform)

6.1. After the Connection, the Helper and User may enter into an agreement off-platform. Fees and terms are freely determined between them, in compliance with local laws.

6.2. The Helper provides service confirmations/terms compliant with local law, manages their own billing and tax obligations.

6.3. SOS Expat is not responsible for the quality, accuracy, or outcome of the Helper’s services, nor for any commitments made between Helper and User.

7Fees, Single Payment and Taxes

7.1. Connection Fee (flat rate): €19 (EUR) or $25 (USD) per Connection, excluding taxes and Payment Provider fees. SOS Expat may modify these amounts and/or publish local rate schedules by country/currency, with prospective effect.

7.2. Single payment & distribution: The User makes a single payment via the Platform covering (i) the Helper’s remuneration (as agreed) and (ii) SOS Expat’s Connection Fee. SOS Expat (or its Provider) collects, deducts its fee, and transfers the remaining balance to the Helper. The Helper authorizes such deductions and allocations.

7.3. Due and non-refundable: The Connection Fee is due as soon as the Connection is made and non-refundable (except at SOS Expat’s discretionary goodwill in case of a failure solely attributable to the Platform and to the extent permitted by law).

7.4. User refunds: If a refund is granted to a User, it is deducted from the Helper’s share: SOS Expat may withhold/offset the corresponding amount from future payments to the Helper or request repayment if no payment is pending. No refund of Connection Fees is due, except at SOS Expat’s discretion.

7.5. Currencies & conversion: Multiple currencies may be offered; Provider exchange rates/fees may apply.

7.6. Taxes The Helper remains responsible for all applicable taxes (VAT, income tax, social security, etc.). SOS Expat collects/remits, where required, VAT/equivalent on Connection Fees.

7.7. Set-off SOS Expat may offset any amount owed by the Helper against any amount payable to the Helper.

8Payments – KYC/AML – Sanctions

8.1. Payment Providers. Payments are processed by third-party Providers (Stripe, etc.). The Helper agrees to their terms and conditions and their KYC/AML (Know Your Customer / Anti-Money Laundering) verification processes.

8.2. KYC required to receive payments. The Helper must successfully complete the identity verification process (KYC) with the Payment Provider before receiving any payment. No payment will be made until KYC is validated. SOS Expat disclaims any responsibility for payment delays related to incomplete or rejected KYC.

8.3. Retention and cancellation. SOS Expat may defer, withhold, or cancel payments in case of: (i) suspected fraud, (ii) non-compliance with Terms or laws, (iii) legal or administrative order, (iv) KYC failure, (v) violation of international sanctions rules.

8.4. Sanctions and embargoes. Access to the Platform and payment services may be restricted in territories subject to sanctions or embargoes (EU, USA, UN, OFAC). The Helper declares not to appear on any sanctions list and to comply with applicable export controls.

8.5. Legal cooperation. The Helper agrees to cooperate with SOS Expat and competent authorities in case of investigation related to money laundering, terrorist financing, or any other financial offense.

9Data Protection (Global Framework – GDPR/DSA)

9.1. Roles For User data received for Connection purposes, SOS Expat and the Helper each act as independent data controllers for their own purposes, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR).

9.2. Legal bases & purposes Contract performance (Connection), legitimate interests (security, fraud prevention, improvement), legal compliance (AML, sanctions), and consent where required.

9.3. International transfers with appropriate safeguards where required (standard contractual clauses, adequacy decisions, etc.).

9.4. Rights & contact Exercise of rights (access, rectification, erasure, portability, objection) via the Platform's contact form.

9.5. Security Reasonable technical/organizational measures; breach notifications according to applicable law (72 hours under GDPR).

9.6. The Helper processes data in accordance with the law of the Country of Operation.

9.7. DSA Compliance. The Platform operates as an intermediary service within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065 (Digital Services Act). SOS Expat implements mechanisms for reporting illegal content and cooperates with competent authorities in accordance with the DSA.

10Intellectual Property

The Platform, its trademarks, logos, databases, and content are protected. No rights are transferred to the Helper, except for a personal, non-exclusive, non-transferable right of access during the term of these Terms. Content provided by the Helper is subject to a worldwide, non-exclusive license in favor of SOS Expat for hosting and display on the Platform.

11Warranties, Liability and Indemnity

11.1. No guarantee regarding results/quality/business volume; the Platform is provided "as is".

11.2. Liability limitation: to the extent permitted, SOS Expat's total liability to the Helper is limited to direct damages and shall not exceed the total Connection Fees received by SOS Expat for the transaction giving rise to the claim.

11.3. Exclusions: no indirect/consequential/special/punitive damages (loss of profits, opportunities, clients, reputation, replacement costs, etc.).

11.4. Indemnification: the Helper indemnifies and holds harmless SOS Expat (and its affiliates, officers, employees, agents) from any claim, loss, damage, penalty, and expense (including attorney fees) arising from (i) breach of these Terms/laws, (ii) their content, (iii) their services/omissions, (iv) lack of work/immigration/license authorization.

11.5. Waiver of recourse. The Helper expressly and irrevocably waives any recourse against SOS Expat for (i) damages arising from the provision of services, (ii) indirect losses, (iii) contractual disputes with Users, (iv) any failure of services provided by the Helper. This waiver applies to the maximum extent permitted by law.

11.6. No representation. Nothing herein creates agency, employment, partnership, or joint venture between SOS Expat and the Helper.

11.7. Force majeure. SOS Expat is not liable for delays or failures caused by force majeure events (natural disaster, war, pandemic, cyberattack, power or internet outage, government decision, strike, etc.).

11.8. Survival. Articles 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13 survive termination.

12Governing law – Arbitration – Estonian jurisdiction – Class action waiver

12.1. Substantive law: for each Connection, the SOS Expat–Helper relationship is governed by the laws of the Country of Operation, subject to local public policy and mandatory international norms. Supplementarily, and for interpretation/validity of these Terms as well as any issue not governed by the law of the Country of Operation, Estonian law applies.

12.2. Mandatory ICC arbitration: any dispute between SOS Expat and the Helper shall be finally resolved under the ICC Arbitration Rules. Seat: Tallinn (Estonia). Language: French. The tribunal shall apply the substantive law defined in art. 12.1. Proceedings are confidential.

12.3. Class action waiver: to the extent permitted, any collective/group/representative action is excluded; individual claims only are allowed.

12.4. Exclusive jurisdiction of Estonian courts: for any non-arbitrable matters, enforcement of awards, or urgent measures, Estonian courts (competent in Tallinn) have exclusive jurisdiction. The Helper waives any objection of forum or non-convenience.

12.5. Pre-arbitration mediation. Before any arbitration, the parties agree to attempt to resolve the dispute amicably through good faith negotiation for a period of thirty (30) days from written notice of the dispute.

13International Protection Clauses

13.1. Anti-corruption. The Helper agrees not to offer, promise, or pay bribes or undue benefits to public or private officials. The Helper complies with applicable anti-corruption laws (FCPA, UK Bribery Act, Sapin II Act, etc.).

13.2. Confidentiality of communications. Communications made through the Platform (messages, calls, videos) are confidential. The Helper shall not record, disclose, or use them for purposes other than the agreed service, except with written authorization or legal obligation.

13.3. Non-solicitation. During the term of these Terms and twelve (12) months after termination, the Helper shall not directly solicit Users met through the Platform to avoid Connection Fees.

13.4. Exclusive responsibility of the Helper. The Helper is solely responsible for the quality, accuracy, and legality of the services provided. SOS Expat does not guarantee the advice, information, or services delivered by the Helper and disclaims any liability for any harm suffered by a User due to the Helper's services.

13.5. No advisory relationship. SOS Expat is not a consulting firm, nor a provider of legal, tax, medical, or regulated services. The Platform is limited to connection services. Any advisory relationship is established exclusively between the Helper and the User, outside of SOS Expat.

13.6. Helper-User disputes. Any dispute between a Helper and a User falls exclusively within their direct relationship. SOS Expat does not intervene in such disputes and cannot be held liable as a party, guarantor, or mediator.

14Miscellaneous

14.1. Assignment: SOS Expat may assign these Terms to an affiliate or successor; the Helper may not assign without SOS Expat's written consent.

14.2. Entire Agreement: These Terms constitute the entire agreement and supersede all prior agreements relating to the same subject matter.

14.3. Notices: By publication on the Platform, in-app notification, or via the contact form.

14.4. Interpretation: Headings are for convenience only. No contra proferentem rule applies.

14.5. Languages: Translations may be provided; French prevails for interpretation.

14.6. Severability: If any provision is invalid/unenforceable, the remainder remains effective; it may be replaced by a valid provision of equivalent effect where possible.

14.7. No waiver: Failure to exercise a right does not constitute waiver thereof.

15Contact

For any question or legal request, please contact us:

ARTICLE - CURRENCY EXCHANGE FEES

1. Client payments may be made in euros (EUR) or US dollars (USD), at the client's discretion.

2. The provider acknowledges and accepts that if the payment currency differs from their Stripe bank account currency, currency conversion fees (approximately 2% of the amount) will be automatically applied by Stripe.

3. These conversion fees are entirely borne by the provider and are deducted from the amount paid to them.

4. The net amount received by the provider may therefore vary depending on the exchange rates in effect at the time of settlement.

5. SOS-Expat cannot be held responsible for currency fluctuations or fees applied by payment service providers (Stripe, PayPal).