In most cases, au pairs must be in possession of a national visa that allows them to take up employment.
Depending on the nationality, entry may be facilitated.
No visa is required for entry:
- Au pair employees who are EU citizens or citizens of Norway, Liechtenstein or Iceland.
- Swiss nationals. However, they must register their stay with the registration office after entering the country.
- Au pairs who are nationals of the following countries:
- Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America
- However, they must apply for a residence permit within 90 days of entering Germany at the immigration authority responsible for their place of residence.
Please note: Au pair employment may not last longer than one year.
A stay as an au pair in Germany is not a tourist or visiting stay. A tourist or visiting stay is always limited to a maximum of 90 days per 180-day period.
You are not allowed to work during your tourist stay, not even as an au pair.
Legal basis
Aufenthaltsgesetz (AufenthG):
- § 6 Absatz 3 Nationales Visum
Aufenthaltsverordnung (AufenthV):
- § 31 Zustimmung der Ausländerbehörde zur Visumerteilung
- § 41 Absatz 1 Einreise ohne Visum
Verordnung über die Beschäftigung von Ausländerinnen und Ausländern (Beschäftigungsverordnung - BeschV):
- § 12 Au-pair-Beschäftigung
Freizügigkeitsgesetz/EU (FreizügG/EU):
- § 2 Freizügigkeit, Einreise und Aufenthalt ohne Visum