In order to become an Au Pair in the US you will need to get a visa, no matter where you come from! The J-1 visa is the only type of visa that allows you to enter the United States as an Au Pair and the only way to obtain it is through a certified US Au Pair agency.
J-1 Visa Requirements for Au Pairs
- You are between 18 and 26 years old
- Proficient in spoken English
- You have a secondary school graduate or equivalent
- You are healthy, non-smoker, not married and no own kids
- You have at least 200 hours of experience in childcare
- You have been personally interviewed in English by an organizational representative
- You can present varification of school, three non-family related personal and child care references, a criminal background check
- You are planning to stay at least 12 months in the United States
- It is the first time you will be working as an Au Pair in the United States
You can find more information here
Following documents are needed to apply for the J-1 visa:
- A passport (valid until 6 months after your stay)
- The DS 160 form
- A biometric photo, 51 x 51 mm in size
- The appointment confirmation
- The DS 2019 form
- Confirmation that the candidate paid the SEVIS fee
- Confirmation that the candidate paid the visa fee ($160/120€)
- The Au Pair and Host Family agreement
- The invitation letter
How to apply for the J-1 Visa
To become an Au Pair in USA, you need to contact an Au Pair agency in your country. The agency will work together with its partner agency in the USA to help you apply for the J-1 visa. The agency will inform you about everything you need to know.
You will need to make an appointment with the US Embassy or Consulate closest to your hometown. Usually you will get an appointment within a few days. On the day of the appointment it is very important to remember to bring all the necessary documents, otherwise you will have to make a new appointment.
At the embassy you will present all the documents, have a short interview in English and fingerprints will be taken. The embassy will keep your passport for the visa. Within a week, the passport and visa will be sent to you by post.
Please, do not, under any circumstances, attempt to participate in the Au Pair program without an agency. It is illegal for families to invite someone to be their Au Pair and for an Au Pair to participate without an agency. It is not possible to participate with a Tourist Visa or ESTA form! Please follow the rules, otherwise you may not be able to enter the country or, if you do enter the US and commit visa fraud, it could result in fines, deportation and you may not be approved for any future U.S. visas. In addition, if you do not enter the U.S. with the correct visa, you will have no support system available to you, such as the U.S. Department of State, which oversees the program, the US agency and local representatives in your area.
When you arrive at the embassy, the interviewer will ask you a few questions. Common questions for the interview are “What is your host family’s name?”, “What are your host children’s names?” and “What do you want to do when you return to your home country?” These questions are designed to ensure that you have the intention to come to the USA to work there as an Au Pair only and to return to your home country after your stay.
Find your Host Family and more Information on AuPair.com