A visa is an official document you need to travel to a certain country for a certain period of time. The competent authorities of the country you wish to visit may or may not issue you with a long-stay permit. You’ll need to present the document to the country’s border police on request.
Why do I need a visa?
A visa is a document 📄 which proves that you have permission to enter a foreign country, and informs the authorities of the duration of this permission. The visa is affixed to your passport in the form of a sticker or stamp.
⚠️ Depending on the visa, country or other, the duration may vary.
For more information on the au pair visa, you can come and join us at our next meet-up and ask us all your questions. 👇
How do you know if you need a visa?
If you are a citizen of a European Union country, most countries in the European Economic Area (EEA) and Switzerland do not require a visa, regardless of your destination or length of stay.
⚠️ You must have at least one passport valid for the entire duration of your trip.
To visit ✈️ in a country outside the EU, you will need a visa. If you are a citizen of a country outside the European Union:
- To travel to an EEA country or Switzerland for more than 3 months, you’ll need a visa.
- Depending on your destination and nationality 🌏 you may need a visa as soon as you enter the country.
👉 Not sure if you need a visa to come to France? Check your situation.
How do I get a visa?
A visa is specific to each country, whether in terms of the conditions to be met ✅ or the price to be paid.
Visa applications are made at the consulate 🏛️ or embassy of the destination country in your own country, except in special cases where you’ll have to go and apply in the neighboring country or find out for yourself.
Once you’ve made an appointment, you’ll need to gather a number of documents and have a passport 🛂 valid for the duration of your stay.
To come to France, you need to apply for a visa no more than 3 months before departure, and at the very least… as soon as possible 😬. We recommend that you make an appointment as soon as possible to be sure of getting your visa before you leave.
The au pair stay
As part of an au pair stay, you’ll need a visa depending on your 🌏 destination and the ⌛ duration of your stay.
👉 Read our article “Which visa to get to be an au pair?” for more information on Canadian, Australian, American and English visas.
Would you like to become an au pair abroad? Butrfly can help you get started and support you throughout your stay, from putting you in touch with families to your return home.
