Visa For Usa

[Oldfield]

A Thai girl friend spent a year in the states as an au pair last year. Now she wants to go back to the States for a 2 month vacation.

Considering she has gone and come back from the states once before, will they automatically issue her with another visa with no real problems?

She is planning to go back sooner rather than later so I'm guessing that she will have no problems.

Edited April 5, 2008 by Oldfield

[RY12]

This is the first time I've learned of "au pair"... doesn't make any sense (at least from the wikipedia article). First off, why would an American need to hire someone from halfway around the world and go through the red tape just to have a babysitter? Second, why would US immigration allow a third-worlder do it? Is it just some sort of goodwill international thing? I can't imagine a Thai getting approved to do menial childcare work in the US, that seems like the perfect scenario of a reason NOT to return to Thailand. Is is meant for disadvantaged foreign nationals or refugees or someting? Or is it an alternative way to get a US education? There must be a catch somewhere since it seems to good to be true...

Anyway, my guess is that having come back from the US might not be enough on its own, e.g. especially if she's unemployed in Thailand and no money in the bank... but you and she are definitely in a better position than most of us here to get approved. I just don't know enough about it, but I'd appreciate more info on the au pair.

[Thanyaburi Mac]

This is the first time I've learned of "au pair"... doesn't make any sense (at least from the wikipedia article). First off, why would an American need to hire someone from halfway around the world and go through the red tape just to have a babysitter? Second, why would US immigration allow a third-worlder do it? Is it just some sort of goodwill international thing? I can't imagine a Thai getting approved to do menial childcare work in the US, that seems like the perfect scenario of a reason NOT to return to Thailand. Is is meant for disadvantaged foreign nationals or refugees or someting? Or is it an alternative way to get a US education? There must be a catch somewhere since it seems to good to be true...

Anyway, my guess is that having come back from the US might not be enough on its own, e.g. especially if she's unemployed in Thailand and no money in the bank... but you and she are definitely in a better position than most of us here to get approved. I just don't know enough about it, but I'd appreciate more info on the au pair.

RY12

Well, you should do some googling on the subject of US visas for an au pair.  They are NOT uncommon.  Altho the qualification for a follow-on toursit visa is, of course, a totally different subject.

Re the au pair, check out this url:  http://exchanges.state.gov/education/jexchanges/private/aupair.htm

Au Pair and EduCare

Au Pair

Regulations pertaining specifically to the Au Pair category are found at [22 CFR 62.31].

Through the Au Pair program foreign nationals between 18 and 26 years of age participate directly in the home life of a host family by providing limited childcare services for up to 12 months. Childcare is limited to no more than 10 hours per day, and to a maximum of 45 hours per week.

Au pairs are compensated for their work according to the Fair Labor Standards Act as interpreted and implemented by the US Department of Labor. Participants in the Au Pair program must be proficient in spoken English, and are required to complete at least six hours of academic credit or its equivalent at an accredited US post-secondary educational institution. Host families are required to pay up to $500 toward the cost of the au pair's required academic course work.

Au pair participants may not be placed with a family having an infant aged less than three months unless a parent or other responsible adult is at home. Neither may au pairs be placed in homes with children under two years of age unless the au pair has at least 200 hours of documented infant childcare experience. Au pairs are not to be placed in families with a special needs child, so identified by the family, unless the au pair has specifically identified prior experience, skill, or training in caring for special needs children and the host family has reviewed and acknowledged the stated prior experience, skills, or training in writing. Please refer to the regulations for details.

Sponsors are required to screen and select both host families and au pairs as program participants according to selection criteria stated in the regulations. Interested parties should contact the sponsoring organizations directly to obtain additional information regarding their program. All au pairs are to receive specific orientation and program information from the sponsor prior to departure from their home countries for the United States. Please refer to the regulations for details. Pre-arrival information for all exchange visitors is defined at [22 CFR 62.10((1-8)] and specifically for au pairs at [22 CFR 62.31(f)]. Orientation material (post-arrival) is defined at [22 CFR 62.10©(1-7)]. Selected host families also receive specific information from the sponsor. Orientation for host families is discussed in the regulations at [22 CFR 62.31(i)(1-4)].

The sponsor is to provide au pairs with training in child development and child safety prior to their placement with a host family. A minimum of eight hours of child safety instruction, of which at least four relate to infants, and a minimum of 24 hours of child development instruction, of which at least four relate to children under two years of age, are required.

Host families and au pairs must sign a Host Family-Au Pair Agreements prior to the au pair's placement in the host family's home. In the event of questions regarding refunds or other adjustments host families and au pairs should refer to their agreements. The Department of State does not have jurisdiction over contractual obligations.

EduCare

The Au Pair program includes the EduCare component. The EduCare component is only for families who have school-aged children and require childcare before and after school hours. Accordingly, au pairs participating in the EduCare component may not be placed with families having preschool children, unless alternative, full-time arrangements are in place for their supervision. The EduCare au pair may work no more than 10 hours per day, and a maximum of 30 hours per week. Au pairs participating in the EduCare component receive 75 percent of the weekly rate paid to au pairs. EduCare au pairs must complete a minimum of 12 hours of academic credit or its equivalent during the program year. The host family is required to provide (up to) the first $1,000 toward the cost of the au pair's required academic course work. Please refer to the regulations for details.

Back to the top

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mac