Au Pairs traveling outside of the USA

One of the fantastic opportunities the Au Pair program offers to Au pairs is the chance to travel with their host family or friends outside the USA.

Au pairs are allowed to travel outside of the USA during their 12 month stay. Go Au Pair does not recommend traveling outside of the US during the last 2 months of the year. Even though the Au Pair has a valid visa, sometimes immigration officers question why the au pair traveled outside of the country so close to the expiration date of her visa.

Also the dates on the Au Pair’s visa often are different from the au pair’s actual arrival into the country. If you want to know what an Au Pair needs to do in order to travel outside of the United States read this post.

Travel outside of the U.S. during the au pair’s 13th month is not permitted by the J-1 visa. If an Au Pair leaves the  USA during this month, she will not be allowed to re-enter the USA.  Au Pair may travel to Hawaii in their 13th month.

It is the responsibility of the Au Pair to check to see if a tourist visa is required for the country she is visiting.

Travel to Canada: please follow this link to find out if the Au Pair needs a tourist visa: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/index.asp. Travel to Mexico: please follow this link to find out if the Au Pair needs a tourist visa: National Institute of Immigration Mexico
For all other countries, please visit www.embassyworld.com for a listing of embassies for various countries. If the au pair travels without the appropriate documents, such as a tourist visa, she may be prohibited from boarding the plane and/or denied entry into the country.

There are a few travel restrictions for Au Pairs while they are in the US on a J-1 visa. For more information please read Where can an Au Pair travel?

Go Au Pair agency asks Au Pairs and Host Families to contact the agency several weeks before traveling outside the country so that all appropriate documentation may be done in time.