General information

Applicants for an au pair visa must be at least 18 years old but no older than 26 at the time of application.

The au pair stay must last at least six months and can last a maximum of one year. An extension or a second au pair stay in Germany is not possible.

If there is a family relationship between the applicant and the host family, an au pair visa is generally not possible.

An au pair stay can generally only take place in families where German is spoken as a native language and one adult has German citizenship or the citizenship of another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland and originates from a German-speaking region. If German is spoken as a family language, the au pair must not originate from the host parents' home country.

The au pair is also expected to have basic knowledge of the German language. Language skills equivalent to at least level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages are required.

Detailed information about au pairs in German families can be found in this fact sheet of the Federal Employment Agency.

Basic information

• If you want to have an appointment to apply for an au pair visa, you need to register on the appointment waiting list of the German Embassy Nairobi and mention “au pair” as purpose of stay
• After notification of the appointment, the applicant has to appear at the visa section of the German Embassy in Nairobi, located at 113 Riverside Drive, for the appointment.
• All application documents must be submitted in original with 1 copy. Please sort the documents in the order listed below then.
• Documents not in the German or English language must be submitted with a certified German or English translation.
• The Embassy reserves the right to request additional documents in individual cases.
• Incomplete application forms as well as applications with incomplete documents will delay processing and may lead to rejection of the application.
• Processing time is as a rule ca. 1 - 2 months but can take longer in individual cases.
• Please do not contact the mission abroad to check the status of your application during the normal processing period. Such inquiries are extremely time-consuming for the visa section and can thus not be answered.

For your application we require the following documents:

1. Passport and 1 copy of the data page. If you are a foreigner residing in Kenya, Burundi, Somalia, Eritrea or the Seychelles, you have to show a valid residence permit for the country of residence.

2. 1 completed and duly signed application form including information provided to applicants pursuant to Section 54 (2) no. 8 in conjunction with Section 53 of the Residence Act (AufenthG)

   A digital application form to be completed online can be found on https://videx-national.diplo.de

3. 2 current, identical biometric passport photos with a white background

4. Signed information pursuant to section 18 (2) no. 4a AufenthG

   Requirement to have a concrete job offer

5. Curriculum vitae in German or English, gapless

6. Letter of motivation in German or English

   This letter should explain why you are seeking employment as an au pair. Please outline the expectations associated with the planned stay, the anticipated professional and personal benefits, and your future plans.

7. Au pair contract as published by the Federal Employment Agency
8. Au pair questionnaire, which must be completed by the host family

9. Current registration certificate (“Meldebescheinigung”) of the host family in Germany

   The registration certificate must list all persons living in the household, including children, and their dates of birth.

10. Proof of qualification

    Secondary school qualification (in Kenya: KCSE), if available: vocational school and/or university qualification including transcripts of records

11. Proof of previous professional experience

    Please submit reference letters from your former employers or other documents proving your previous professional experience (employment contract, salary slips, etc.)

12. Evidence of your willingness to return to your country of residence

    For example, a certificate from your current employer or university stating that you are able to resume your employment/studies after the end of your au pair stay.

13. Proof of German language skills, at least at A1 level

    As proof, a recognized certificate from a testing provider certified according to the standards of ALTE (Association of Language Testers in Europe) must be submitted. In Kenya, the Goethe Institute and ÖSD currently issue recognized language certificates.

    Only certificates for which the examination date was no longer than one year ago will be accepted. If individual modules have been repeated, the date of the oldest module passed applies. Taking different test parts from different ALTE certified providers is sufficient.

14. Proof of sufficient health insurance coverage, valid for the entire duration of your au pair stay
15. Visa fee in the amount 75 Euros (to be paid in Kenyan shillings according to the embassy's exchange rate applicable at the time of application)

This fact sheet reflects the legal situation at the time of drafting it. It is regularly updated but makes no claim to be complete. Authoritative version of the fact sheet is the German version.