Au pair United States ⇄ Germany
Discover how families in Germany welcome au pairs from United States. For US candidates Germany is a study-and-language destination first: the regulated Au-Pair status combines a family contract, a mandatory German course and a national D visa approved by the Federal Employment Agency.
Prepared by AuPair Connect — Compliance Team
Every legal, tax or safety detail in this content is verified by the AuPair Connect Compliance Team against official sources and dated.
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In brief — key takeaways
A US citizen going to Germany as an au pair does NOT use the J-1 visa: the J-1 governs entry to the United States. Germany has a regulated Au-Pair status (Beschäftigungsverordnung — BeschV — and Aufenthaltsgesetz): a third-country national needs a national long-stay D visa applied for BEFORE entry with prior approval by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, then a residence permit from the local Ausländerbehörde. Candidates are aged 18 to under 27, stays run 6 to 12 months and can only be done once; the family provides a private room, full board, health insurance and the mandatory German course, with reference pocket money of about €280/month set by contract.
Reviewed by the Compliance team · Verified on · Source: official host-country data
⚠️ No J-1 visa for Europe: what replaces it in Germany
The J-1 exchange visitor visa only governs entry TO the United States. A US citizen heading to Germany follows the German au pair framework instead: a national long-stay D visa applied for before entry, with prior approval by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, then a residence permit from the local Ausländerbehörde.
Source: US Department of State — BridgeUSA / Exchange Visitor Program (22 CFR §62.31).
Official data for Au pair United States ⇄ Germany
Legal status(es)
Age 18–26 years
Standard au pair contract (Au-Pair-Vertrag)
Visa
Required
National (type D) “Au-Pair” visa for third-country nationals
Where no explicit legal rule exists (hour cap, police clearance), AuPair Connect recommends relying on consolidated practice (~30 h/week, ~€280/month), references and a thorough interview before hosting.
Age
18–26 years
Under 27 years old required (26 completed at departure); host family with no specific legal age limit.
Working time
30 h/week
Germany has no fixed legal weekly hour ceiling: the European Au Pair Agreement grants at least one full free day per week. The accepted practice and standard Au-Pair-Vertrag settle on ~30 h/week.
Contract / Agreement
Au pair contract — Au-Pair-Vertrag (model contract published by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit)
Bundesagentur für Arbeit · Prior employment approval for third-country nationals; residence permit from the Ausländerbehörde after entry
A private room and full board are provided by the host family, in line with the Au-Pair-Vertrag.
Steps
- 1 Conclude a model au pair contract (Au-Pair-Vertrag) with the host family — Host family / young au pair
- 2 For third-country nationals: apply for the national Au-Pair visa with the prior approval of the Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Auswärtiges Amt / German representation
- 3 Provide proof of health insurance from the first day of work — Host family / insurance company
- 4 After entry: apply for the residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde before the visa expires — Ausländerbehörde
Salary / Pocket money
280.00–280.00 EUR/month
≈ €280/month (reference value published by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, set by contract — the official reference published by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit). Added on top of a private room, full board and health insurance.
Contributions
No employer-type social contributions; compulsory health insurance from the first day
Pocket money (Taschengeld) is not a salary
The host family takes out the insurance; the au pair must provide proof of it for the visa.
Tax advantages
No specific tax advantage related to hosting an au pair
Pocket money generally tax-exempt as it stays below the tax-free allowance (Grundfreibetrag ~€11,604/year in 2026)
The specific tax treatment of au pair pocket money is not explicitly documented by the German tax authorities.
Official sources
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Au-pair (employeurs) · verified on 2026-08-17
- Auswärtiges Amt — Visa und Aufenthalt (nationales Visum) · verified on 2026-09-18
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit — BA — Au-Pair-Vertrag modèle (PDF) · verified on 2026-08-17
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit — BA — Merkblatt « Au-pair bei deutschen Familien » (assurances, argent de poche, cours de langue) · verified on 2026-09-13
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit — BA — Fact Sheet « Au pairs in German families » · verified on 2026-09-13
- Gesetze im Internet — Beschäftigungsverordnung (BeschV 2013) · verified on 2026-08-17
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Who you need to know before travelling
Verified notes for au pairs travelling from United States to Germany.
The J-1 exchange visitor programme (22 CFR §62.31) governs entry TO the United States; it does not apply to a US citizen going to Germany. Germany has a regulated Au-Pair status (Beschäftigungsverordnung — BeschV — and Aufenthaltsgesetz) and a third-country national needs a national long-stay D visa applied for BEFORE entry.
Source: US Department of State — BridgeUSA / Bundesagentur für Arbeit / Gesetze im Internet — BeschV · Verified on 2026-08-14
The D visa requires prior approval of the employment by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit; after entry the local Ausländerbehörde issues the residence permit.
Source: Auswärtiges Amt / Bundesagentur für Arbeit · Verified on 2026-08-14
The au pair age range in Germany is 18 to under 27; a stay lasts 6 to 12 months and can only be completed once in a lifetime.
Source: German Missions in the USA — Residence Visa (Au pair) · Verified on 2026-09-18
Reference pocket money published by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit is about €280/month (set by contract); the family adds a private room, full board and health insurance, and funds the mandatory German course with at least €70/month since May 2023.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit · Verified on 2026-08-14
The Au-Pair-Vertrag (standard contract under the European Agreement on Au Pair Placement) fixes conditions with at least 1.5 free days per week since May 2023; Germany sets no fixed legal weekly hour ceiling (the contract settles on ~30 h/week).
Source: Auswärtiges Amt / Au-Pair-Vertrag (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) · Verified on 2026-08-14
US official documents used in the German file (birth certificate, police records) should be apostilled under the Hague Convention — the United States is a party — before the consular appointment.
Source: Hague Conference on Private International Law — Apostille Section · Verified on 2026-08-14
Before you leave: the overview
A US candidate heading to Germany needs a national long-stay D visa applied for BEFORE entry, with prior approval of the employment by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, and afterwards a residence permit from the local Ausländerbehörde. The J-1 programme is irrelevant here — it governs entry to the United States. Age is 18 to under 27, the stay lasts 6 to 12 months and can only be done once in a lifetime. The family funds the mandatory German course and provides board and insurance; US official documents (birth certificate, police records) should be apostilled under the Hague Convention before the consular appointment.
Your travel pocket-guide
The concrete steps for au pairs on the United States → Germany route.
Consulate of the origin country
The national long-stay D visa for Germany is filed at the German mission covering your US state — the German Embassy in Washington and the consulates general (New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Houston, Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta, Denver and others) — always BEFORE entry and with prior approval of the employment by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit. The Videx form is completed online. US citizens need no exit visa but must have a passport valid at least six months beyond travel. Always confirm the exact document list and processing times in the official mission calendar before booking.
Apostille & legalisation
US official documents for the German file (birth certificate, FBI or state police records, school-leaving certificates and diplomas) must be apostilled under the Hague Convention: federal documents via the US Department of State Office of Authentications, state documents via the Secretary of State of the issuing state. Documents in English destined for Germany generally require a sworn German translation. Assemble everything early: one unapostilled or untranslated piece can postpone the consular appointment by weeks.
Passport delay
A US passport must be valid at least six months beyond the planned exit from Germany and match exactly the name on the ticket and the visa file. Standard US passport processing takes several weeks by mail; expedited options exist. Renew before starting any step with the host family or the consulate, and keep a digital copy of every page.
Departure obligations
Before leaving the United States, gather: a valid US passport, the signed Au-Pair-Vertrag with the family, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit approval, health insurance valid from day one, the Videx form and the national D visa. Apostilled and translated documents, the ticket and proof of accommodation complete the file. There is no US exit visa for an au pair stay abroad, but registering with the nearest US consulate after arrival (STEP programme) is recommended. Keep a digital copy of every piece.
Live as an au pair in Germany: the host cities
Other routes to Europe
The au pair procedure differs by destination country. Compare the United States → Germany route with these alternatives.
How it works
Create your profile
Free signup, describe your family.
Verified matches
Identity & references checked.
Meet
Chat & video call.
Sign the contract
Agreement following host-country rules.
Frequently asked questions
Is the J-1 the way for a US citizen to become an au pair in Germany?
No. The J-1 programme regulates entry to the United States, not a US citizen leaving for Europe. Germany instead requires a national long-stay D visa applied for BEFORE entry, with prior approval of the employment by the Bundesagentur für Arbeit, followed by a residence permit from the local Ausländerbehörde.
What are the age and duration limits for an au pair in Germany?
Candidates must be aged 18 to under 27. A stay lasts 6 to 12 months and can only be completed once in a lifetime under the German au pair framework.
How much pocket money and what support does a German host family provide?
The Bundesagentur für Arbeit publishes a reference pocket money of about €280 per month, set by contract; the family adds a private room, full board and health insurance, and funds the mandatory German course (at least €70 per month). Germany sets no fixed legal weekly hour ceiling — the standard contract settles on about 30 hours a week.
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Not sure what an au pair exactly is? What an au pair is: definition, role & rules .