J-1 Au Pair Program: Live With a US Family and Provide Childcare

The au pair program is one of the J-1 exchange visitor categories. It is a cultural exchange: you live as part of an American family, care for their children, and study at a US college.

To take part, you must:

• Be 18 to 26 years old.
• Be a secondary school graduate or equivalent.
• Be proficient in spoken English.
• Pass a physical exam.
• Be interviewed in English by the sponsor's representative.
• Pass a background check, including school verification, three non-family references, a criminal background check, and a personality profile.

For placement with a baby under 2, you need at least 200 hours of documented infant care experience. You can't be placed with relatives.

EduCare is a variation for families who need care before and after school. EduCare au pairs work up to 30 hours a week, must complete 12 credit hours, get up to $1,000 toward courses, and receive 75% of the regular weekly stipend.

Au pairs can't be placed with a family that has a baby under 3 months unless a parent or other responsible adult is home. Families with special needs children can host only an au pair who has relevant experience that the family accepts in writing.

Au pairs get a weekly stipend plus a private room and meals. The stipend must follow the Fair Labor Standards Act as the Department of Labor applies it. Sponsors calculate it from the federal minimum wage for 45 hours a week, minus a credit for room and board. At the federal minimum of $7.25 an hour, that has worked out to about $195.75 a week. EduCare au pairs get 75% of that.

Some states with higher minimum wages may require more. Ask your sponsor in writing what the stipend is for your host state before you accept a match.

• The first program lasts 12 months.
• You can request an extension of 6, 9, or 12 months. The sponsor must apply to the State Department at least 30 days before your program end date. During an extension you must again meet the study requirement.
• After the program you have a 30-day grace period to travel in the US and prepare to leave. You can't work during that time.

Admission period. A DHS rule published on July 17, 2026 would replace "duration of status" with a fixed admission date for J-1 visitors (the program end date on your DS-2019, up to 4 years, plus 30 days). It was due to start on September 15, 2026, but a federal court in Massachusetts blocked it on September 14, 2026. For now, J-1 visitors are still admitted for duration of status. See fixed admission period status.

Proposed J-1 rule. On July 30, 2026, the State Department proposed stricter J-1 rules on program terminations, extensions, and fixing SEVIS errors. Comments close on September 28, 2026. It is only a proposal and is not in effect.

Host families must be screened by the sponsor. They must:

• Be US citizens or permanent residents and fluent in English.
• Pass a background check and an in-person interview.
• Give the au pair a private bedroom.
• Pay the stipend, the education allowance, and sponsor fees.
• Attend at least one family day conference during the year.
• Follow the hour limits and time-off rules.

The sponsor's local representative stays in monthly contact with the au pair and the family. If the match doesn't work, the sponsor can arrange a new family ("rematch").

Host families pay most program costs, but au pairs usually pay:

• Any fees charged by the sponsor or its overseas agent. Sponsors must give you an itemized list of fees.
• SEVIS fee (Form I-901): paid online to DHS before the interview. Au pairs, camp counselors, and Summer Work Travel participants pay a lower rate. See ICE's I-901 page for the current amount.
• Visa application fee: $185 as of September 2026 for J visas. Participants in certain government-funded programs are exempt.
• Visa integrity fee: A $250 visa integrity fee, created by a 2025 law, is charged when a visa is issued. As of September 2026, consulates have rolled it out unevenly, so check your embassy's fee page.
• Travel to your interview and any documents, such as police certificates or translations.

Be wary of agents charging large extra fees. You can check the list of designated sponsors on the State Department's J-1 site.

• Dependents: au pairs can't bring a spouse or children. There is no J-2 visa in this category.
• Staying longer: the au pair program does not lead to a green card. Many au pairs return home or later apply for another status, such as an F-1 student visa. Changing status inside the US can be difficult; see change of status.
• Two-year rule: Some J-1 visitors must live in their home country for 2 years after the program before they can get an H or L visa, a K visa, or a green card. It applies if your program was funded by the US or your government, if your skills are on your country's Exchange Visitor Skills List, or if you came for graduate medical training. Your DS-2019 and visa usually show whether an officer thinks it applies. Waivers are possible through the State Department's Waiver Review Division. Most au pairs are not subject to it, but check your documents.

• The officer doubts you will return home after the program.
• Weak English at the interview.
• Missing or inconsistent documents, such as the DS-2019.
• Earlier visa overstays.

Since 2025, the State Department has asked F, M, and J applicants to set their social media accounts to public so officers can review them. See visa interview tips.

Travel ban. Proclamation 10998 took effect on January 1, 2026, and has no end date. It limits visas for nationals of 39 countries: for 19 countries it suspends almost all visas, and for the other 20 it suspends immigrant visas plus B, F, M, and J visas. USCIS is also holding many pending cases from these countries for extra review. Check Travel ban status before you pay fees or book travel.