Apply for a visa for au pair workers

  • Performance specification

    To enter the country, au pairs must in most cases have a national visa that allows them to take up corresponding employment.

    Depending on the nationality, entry may be facilitated for au pair workers.

    No visa required for entry:

    • Au pair workers who are citizens of the Union.
    • Au pair workers who are nationals of the following countries:
      • Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand and United States of America
      • However, after entering Germany, they must apply for a residence permit at the foreigners authority responsible for the place of residence within 3 months. The au pair activity may only be taken up once the required approval of the Federal Employment Agency has been obtained. As a national of the countries listed here, you can also apply for a visa to work as an au pair at the German mission abroad responsible for your place of residence. As soon as you enter Germany with a visa issued by a German embassy, you no longer need to obtain a residence permit or the approval of the Federal Employment Agency.

    Au-pairs who are Swiss nationals also do not need a visa for entry due to the agreement on the free movement of persons between the EU Member States and Switzerland.

    Further information can be found in the procedure descriptions:

    • Apply for a national visa
    • Residence permit for au pair workers (non-EU/EEA) - apply.

    Note: A stay as an au pair in Germany is not a tourist or visiting stay, but a stay for the purpose of gainful employment. The au pair relationship focuses on the socio-political concern of giving young people from abroad the opportunity to get to know other languages and cultures. If relatives in need of care (parents, children, etc.) are to be looked after in the host family's household, this is not au pair employment. "Au pair" means "reciprocal". The aim is to enable young foreign citizens to complete their language skills and possible work experience and to broaden their general education by getting to know the host country.

    Au-pairs must be at least 18 and under 27 years old. Au-pair employment may last a maximum of one year and is subject to the approval of the Federal Employment Agency. The Federal Employment Agency may grant approval for an au pair stay provided that German is spoken as the mother tongue in the host family. If German is spoken as the family language, the Federal Employment Agency can grant approval, provided the au pair does not come from a home country of the host parents. Within the scope of the visa procedure, the responsible German mission abroad will check the return perspective, as au-pair stays do not constitute a permanent stay. In principle, an au pair stay in Germany is only possible once. A repetition is excluded even if the maximum duration of one year has not been exhausted. For an au pair stay, proof of basic German language skills corresponding to level A 1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages must be provided.

    Residence permit for the purpose of au pair employment (non-EU)

    National visa (entry in Germany)

    Au pair employment - apply for a residence permit (EU)

  • Process flow

    You must apply for the required residence title at the German diplomatic mission responsible for your place of residence abroad. An au pair contract must be submitted as one of the documents required for the application. You can find a sample contract on the website of the Federal Employment Agency.

    In any case, the German host family for the au pair employment should already be known to you. You can obtain visa application forms free of charge from the competent mission abroad in the local language version.

    For other residence titles, you can obtain the necessary forms from the competent office. Details on the respective procedure can be found in the procedure descriptions listed above.

    Tip: You can find more information on au pairs on the websites of the Federal Foreign Office and the Federal Employment Agency.

    Visa requirements

  • Which documents are required?

    • Letter of invitation from the German host family
    • Passport
    • Contract with the placement agency in Germany or contract with the host family (au pair contract)

    Note: Further documents may be required. Please contact the diplomatic mission or consular post responsible for you.

  • What are the fees?

    The fee to be paid may be waived or reduced in individual cases if this serves to promote cultural or sporting interests, foreign policy, development policy or other significant public interests or for humanitarian reasons.

  • What deadlines do I have to observe?

    Submit your application at the earliest possible time.

  • Legal basis


Who do I need to contact?

The visa must be applied for at the German mission abroad (embassy, consulate) of your home country in whose district you have your habitual residence or domicile.

Note:
An overview of the German missions abroad with contact addresses and telephone numbers can be found on the website of the Federal Foreign Office.

List of representations of the Federal Republic of Germany abroad


Do you live in the northern district: municipality of Willingen (Upland), municipality of Diemelsee, town of Diemelstadt, town of Volkmarsen, town of Bad Arolsen, city of Lichtenfels, town of Bad Wildungen, municipality of Vöhl or in the town of Waldeck? Then you will find the right contact persons for your request here:

First letter Surname

Responsible processing

Aa - Aln, H, I, S, Y, UMA

Sabine Schlüter

Aa - Aln

Claudia Schweinsberg

Alo - Az, H, I, S

Jenta Sesselmann

B, E, D, Mj - Mz, L, U, V, W, X

Detlef Reimann

B, E, L, Mj - Mz

Jörg Jordan

C, G, Alo - Az

Eleni Bangert

C,G

Judith Schlömer

D,W

Elfi Schäfer

F, J, K, Ma - Mi, N

Elke Geiseler-Matsuda

F, J, Kh - Kz, U, V, Y, X

Franziska Brücher

Ka-Kg, 0, P, Q, Z

Ruslan Kosjan

Ma-Mi, N, UMA

Claudia Jellen

O, P,Q, R, T, Z

Beate Hocke

R,T

Monika Plathe


If you live in the southern district: Gemeinde Edertal, Stadt Frankenau, Stadt Frankenberg (Eder), Gemeinde Allendorf (Eder), Stadt Hatzfeld (Eder), Gemeinde Burgwald, Gemeinde Haina (Kloster), Stadt Gemünden (Wohra) or in the Stradt Rosenthal, you will find your contact persons here:

First letter Surname


Responsible processing

A-K

Carolina Bergener

A-K

Denise Klauke

A-K

Gerlinde Schäfer-Vogel

L-Z

Dominik Stenzel

L-Z

Andreas Hartmann

Responsible departments

Responsible staff