It is required for both au pairs and host families to supply certain documents to ensure that both parties meet the requirements to enter into the au pair program. Documentation for au pairs might include things such as a passport copy, birth certificate, health certificate, police record, school certificate, or childcare references.
For host parents, passport copies are usually also required. Depending on the country, income checks, police checks, or house checks may also be asked for. Au pair agencies can help guide this process to ensure everything is correctly submitted for visa processing.
In most cases, an au pair will need a visa to enter their host country. The documents for the application will need to be thoroughly checked and approved by the agency and the sponsoring government to ensure the au pair will be approved.
Typically, the visa requirements include a criminal background check from the au pair’s home country, proof that the au pair is a secondary school graduate, copies of the passport and driver’s license, birth certificate, and proof of childcare experience through references. In some cases, they may need to prove their spoken English level or other languages depending on the host country.
The au pair must also be personally interviewed and their personal and childcare references should be called to confirm their legitimacy. The au pair must also complete the full application process herself with all documents to prove her motivation. The final decision of approval is ultimately up to the national or state government.
The host family does not need to provide quite as many documents as they are not the ones applying for the visa, but they still need to prove their ability to be a good fit for the program and provide supporting documents for the application. Typically, they will submit income checks and their passports to the au pair agency plus the agency will do a virtual check to ensure the house is suitable to host an au pair.
The host family can also provide other documents important to the process like the weekly schedule outlining the daily tasks and work hours of the au pair and the signed au pair contract.
The au pair program is regulated by the host country’s government as visa sponsorship is often required. In order to protect both the host family and the au pair, thorough documentation is required to ensure a successful program for all parties.
The documentation gathering and checking process is the lengthiest part of the pre-arrival process, so the quicker the documents are delivered the quicker the au pair can be on the ground as the application can be submitted earlier. If you have any questions regarding which documents you need, check with your au pair agent who will be happy to support you.
