You may have some questions about whether international travel is possible, and if current travel restrictions relating to COVID-19 will impact your arrival. We have great news - AuPairCare has welcomed hundreds of au pairs this year from a wide variety of countries and continue to welcome even more this year and into 2022.
However, there are still some delays in visa processing, and US entry restrictions could impact au pair arrivals from certain countries. AuPairCare may need to reschedule program arrival dates for some au pairs if they are affected by these travel restrictions or visa delays, and we will contact you if that is the case. We strongly encourage you to factor the information below into your matching and arrival timeline.
Travel Restrictions Impacting Au Pair Arrivals
- Brazil
- China
- Schengen Region - Europe and the UK
- South Africa
National Interest Exceptions allow entry to the US from restricted countries if certain criteria are met:
- Host families who are members of the medical community who are caring for those who have contracted COVID-19; and/or those involved in research related to COVID-19.
- Host families who have children who may require specific care such as: medical, special education, or sign language and who have been diagnosed by a qualified medical individual.
For questions regarding how to apply for a National Interest Exception, please contact your Matching Expert. Their details can be found in the Contact Us section of your portal. Please also see our Frequently Asked Questions, or watch the explainer video below.
Visa Processing
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While the listed embassies are scheduling some appointments, there may be a wait for an appointment or appointments may be re-scheduled. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Further country-specific details are provided by the Department of State. Click for visa wait-time information or country-specific travel advisories.
- Embassies in Brazil, South Africa, and countries in the Schengen Region are processing National Interest Exception visas only. Please contact your Matching Expert for more information.
For all countries, we recommend au pairs continue the visa application process as outlined by their local overseas representative and subject to embassy guidance. To avoid any additional delays to your arrival, we ask that au pairs update their portal with visa scheduling information when they have it and reach out to their local representative with any questions.
Other Travel Delays
The following countries are seeing some delays due to local travel restrictions:
- Argentina - Argentina is restricting flights into and out of Argentina due to COVID-19. Please click here to read the most recent relevant information. This is resulting in some last-minute flight cancellations. Please note that although visa appointments are being scheduled and travel is possible, your au pair's arrival may be subject to delays.
- China - Flights to and from China are limited by the US and Chinese governments. This may impact flights for Chinese au pairs and there may be some delays.
COVID-19 Testing
The CDC requires all international arrivals to the US to show proof of a COVID-19 negative test or recovery before departing for the US. That means any au pairs arriving to the US will need to get tested for COVID-19 no more than three days before their flight departs and provide negative results to the airline in order to travel to the U.S. It is extremely important that au pairs follow these guidelines in order to ensure a safe and on time arrival. Au pairs are responsible for their own tests and for any flight fees incurred if they do not get tested within the given window. This order affects all international arrivals into the U.S. regardless of visa status. Please review our FAQ document covering Questions & Answers from the CDC website with added and highlighted au pair-related details.
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Please rest assured that we are staying up-to-date on travel restrictions and visa issues and are updating this page regularly.
Thank you again for your continued support of the au pair program during these difficult times. We witness daily the benefits that international cultural exchange brings to all participants and we look forward to joining au pairs and host families together very soon.
