Tourist & Student Visa Plan : Au pair (exchange visitor)

J1 Au Pair visa

The J1 is a non-immigrant visa issued to a person participating in a United States Exchange Visitor Program, or EVP. The Au Pair program is one of the 15 categories of the EVP.

The EVP is among the most diverse visas for going to the United States, and is designed to enable non-Americans to travel within the United States and study or work there as a sponsored exchange visitor while immersing themselves in the local culture. With the J1 Au Pair visa, a non-US individual who has graduated high school can visit the United States for up to 12 months, extensible to 24.

The visionary EVP was created to foster greater understanding between the United States and other countries through educational and cultural exchanges. For this reason, it is assumed that exchange visitors will go back to their home countries once their exchange program ends.

Approximately 300,000 persons representing 200 countries and territories visited the United States under the aegis of the J1 Exchange Visitor Program every year before the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently California hosts the largest number of exchange visitors, followed by New York and Florida. Internationally, China, Great Britain and Germany are the top three countries from where J1 visa holders come.

What is the J1 Au Pair visa?

For the purposes of the J1 visa, an au pair is a non-US citizen who works for a host American family while living with them. An au pair is expected to help out with the family’s childcare responsibilities, in return for a weekly stipend.  They must also fulfil a minimum study requirement during this period.

With a J1 Au Pair visa, you will live for 12 months with a family carefully selected from participating families, and help them with up to 10 hours a day of childcare support, subject to a maximum of 45 hours a week. Before you start, your sponsor will ensure that you receive a minimum of 32 hours of childcare training.

While living and working as an Au Pair in the United States, you will be required to complete at least six hours of academic credit or its equivalent in a college, university or other post-secondary educational institution.

The Au Pair program offers you a warm, rewarding and enjoyable intercultural opportunity to live and contribute as part of an American family while working and studying.

What are the host family’s responsibilities?

The host family will welcome you into their lives and make you feel like one of them. Apart from paying you at least a minimum wage stipend every week, they will provide you with a private bedroom and three meals a day, weekends off, help you with academic enrolment and pay up to $500 towards your coursework.

Who is eligible for a J1 Au Pair visa?

To be eligible for a J1 Au Pair visa, you should —

• Be between 18 and 26 years of age.
• Be fully licensed to drive a car in the United States and have at least 50 hours of driving experience.
• Have graduated from secondary school or its equivalent.
• Be able to speak conversational English to a good standard.
• Have no criminal record.
• Want to spend 12 months living with an American family.
• Have no spouse or dependents.

You will also need to pass a physical examination and a complete background check which will include verification of your education, personal and work references and a criminal background check. These will typically be taken care of by the sponsor who has accepted you into their Au Pair exchange program.

Needless to add, you should enjoy caring for children.

How long can you stay in the US with a J1 Au Pair visa?

You can stay for up to 12 months in the United States with a J1 Au Pair visa, with the possibility of extending it for up to 12 months more. You may not enter the United States more than 30 days before the start of the Au Pair program nor stay more than 30 days after the program ends.

Covid-related: Au Pairs were among the categories barred by the Trump administration from entering the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, many of those rules are expiring now and not being renewed by the Biden administration, while others are being rescinded. Please check with your nearest US Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date information.

How do you apply for a J1 Au Pair visa?

The first step in applying for the J1 Au Pair visa is finding a designated sponsor. To see a list of 15 designated and approved Au Pair sponsor organizations, click here and then choose ‘Au Pair’ from the dropdown menu.

After researching different sponsors, select one and apply to take part in their Au Pair exchange program. Once you are accepted, the sponsor will start a thorough and extensive process that can last up to three months and require over a dozen documents. The sponsor will guide you through the application process and in meeting all the requirements, make sure you receive the necessary training and be your main single-point contact throughout your time in the United States as an Au Pair.

Once you have been screened and selected, your sponsor will make your profile available to interested host families in the United States. Your visa application process will begin as soon as you accept an offer from a host family. One of the first steps is entering your name in the Student and Exchange Visitor (SEVIS) program database.

The actual application and selection process may vary from sponsor to sponsor but all of them include the issuance of a Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status by the program sponsor, attesting that you are eligible and have been selected to participate. This certificate, known as Form DS-2019, is a document vital to your visa application.

What documents are required for a J1 visa application?

As part of the J1 visa process, the local US Embassy or Consulate will require applicants aged between 14 and 79 to come for an interview. The following is a minimum list of documents that you must carry to the interview.

1. Form DS-2019 (Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status). This will be issued by your program sponsor once you have been accepted into an exchange program.
2. Passport valid for travel to the United States.
3. Form DS-160. This is a nonimmigrant visa application form that can be completed online here.
4. Fee receipt for the payment of $160 for the visa application.
5. Photograph. A complete description of the format requirements is here.
6. Consulate appointment confirmation
7. SEVIS fee payment confirmation. This is normally $220. The sponsor may require you to pay this, or pay it themselves and share the confirmation document with you.
8. Agreement between Au Pair and the host family
9. Invitation letter from the host family

Please note that you may need to furnish other documents to the sponsor as part of their selection process. These requirements may vary from sponsor to sponsor and from country to country.

How much does a J1 Au Pair visa cost?

There can be up to two parts to the fee for getting a J1 Au Pair exchange visa,

Non-Immigrant Visa Application processing fee: This is currently US$ 160 but may be subject change. Check with the local US Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date fees.

Visa Issuance fee: In some countries, an additional Visa Issuance fee may be charged when the visa is issued. Check with the local US Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date fees.

Applying for a J1 Au Pair visa is not an intense process. Locating and contacting a sponsor requires research but once you have been accepted by a sponsor, you will receive all the guidance and support you need in getting your J1 Au Pair visa.

Need more help?

If you still feel that you would like to have professional help in making your application or would like to consult a lawyer who specializes in immigration and visa matters, click here to see some of your options, including how to access our exclusive list of professional immigration lawyers.

If you have questions or would like clarifications, please send us an email and we’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours with an answer.

For most of 2020, all processes related to the issuance of immigrant and non-immigrant visas, including the J1 visa, were either delayed or put on hold as the pandemic resulted in travel bans, work slowdown and consulate closures. Although partial or normal services are beginning to resume in several countries, please check with your J1 visa sponsor regarding specific restrictions and rules that might affect your application and travel.

Au Pairs were among the categories barred by the Trump administration from entering the United States during the Covid-19 pandemic. However, many of those rules are expiring now and not being renewed by the Biden administration, while others are being rescinded. Please check with your nearest US Embassy or Consulate for up-to-date information.