We have known au pairs who did two years in the US and then went to Canada or Europe. You can go to a different country in less than 2 years.

Anonymous wrote:I don't think I've ever heard of a family who wanted to keep their au pair for more than 1 year!

OP here. Our au pair is a saint who loves our children (and is loved by them) as if she were their sister -- I would adopt her if I could!

Anonymous wrote:It may depend on what is on her Visa. The AP agency would know for sure. Ask them.

OP here. I have asked various contacts at our agency (Cultural Care) this exact question and have either received radio silence or some slightly more polite version of "ask somebody else."

CC was great during the matching process but the agency has been much less helpful thereafter...

We have an AP who is on her second stint. She went home for 2 years and applied to the program again. Came here just before her 27th birthday.

Au pairs are here on a J1 visa. The J1 visas all have the requirement of needing to return to heir home country for 2 years. After the 2 year period they can come back. Our former au pair did this.

I don't think I've ever heard of a family who wanted to keep their au pair for more than 1 year!

My understanding is that it is always two years, regardless of country of origin.

It may depend on what is on her Visa. The AP agency would know for sure. Ask them.

I had two South African APs that did this (sisters actually). They returned home for 2 years.

Thank you to both the previous posters. To clarify, we are based in DC and our au pair is Swiss. I would love to figure out where I can look to find out whether her return period is 1 year or 2.

If the return period is 1 year, she'll be able to come back to the US before her 27th birthday. If it's 2 years, she won't.

I’ve heard that is possible. I heard they must return home for 1-2 years. Maybe it depends on the country whether it’s 1 or 2 years.

I've been a counselor for a long time. The au pair must return home for two years. She must also return before her 27th birthday. Make sure she pays her taxes for the years she's here and completes her educational requirement for each year. Some countries are more likely to deny visas - at this time Thailand and possibly South Africa would challenge her when she wants to return.

Our au pair is entering her second year with us and wants to "repeat" the program for another two-year period. Our LCC told us that this, in fact, possible: an au pair can (1) participate in the au pair program for up to two years, (2) return to her home country for some period of time, and (3) then come back to America for a second stint as an au pair (provided she is still within the permissible age range). This effectively enables the au pair to stay in America for a total of four years.

Has anyone here heard of an au pair doing this before? I asked our LCC how long the au pair is required to return to her home country before she is eligible to get another J-1 visa, and she said one year. Other LCCs, however, have said that the "return" requirement is two years.

I tried to engage an immigration lawyer to give me a concrete answer this question, but the first lawyer I spoke to insisted, flat out, that repeating the program is not possible. I suspect this can't be right given how many LCCs have said that it is possible and that they've seen it happen.

I'd be grateful for any insight (or an immigration lawyer referral!). Our au pair is a saint and we would be thrilled to help her extend her stay if possible.