The Au Pair program in the U.S. has been a foundation of cultural exchange since 1986. While it has evolved over the past 35+ years, its core mission of fostering international understanding remains unwavering. The enduring success of the program is proof of the power of diplomacy and mutual understanding.
Along with other exchanges, the Au Pair program has enjoyed strong bipartisan support over the years and will continue to be supported into the future. Go Au Pair works closely with organizations, like Alliance for International Exchange for the purpose of maintaining this support in spite of continuous changes in Congress and Administrations.
The Au Pair program has proven it can evolve in response to shifting global dynamics, regulatory updates, and changing expectations from participants. Below we respond to recent events occurring at the Federal level and our interpretation of risks or impacts. Check back often for updates – newest updates at the top.
Table of Contents
Date Published: 6/9/2025
June 9, 2025: Visa Pause Still in Effect
Go Au Pair continues to closely monitor updates surrounding the pause on visa appointments. While there is still no confirmed date for when the pause will be lifted, we are checking embassy appointment availability daily. We still anticipate this pause to be temporary and do not believe further action is needed at this time. However, we are fully prepared to escalate our efforts and respond urgently should the appointment pause encroach on start of school year arrival times.
Date Published: 6/9/2025
June 4, 2025: Travel ban Proclamation
The White House released a travel ban related to the President’s executive order 14161 released on January 20, 2025 titled “Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats”. We do not anticipate negative effects on Au Pair recruitment resulting from the ban.
The new travel ban fact sheet states:
- “The Proclamation fully restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 12 countries found to be deficient with regards to screening and vetting and determined to pose a very high risk to the United States: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
- The Proclamation partially restricts and limits the entry of nationals from 7 countries who also pose a high level of risk to the United States: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
- The Proclamation includes exceptions for lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, certain visa categories, and individuals whose entry serves U.S. national interests.”
Go Au Pair has consistently recruited Au Pairs from countries with strong diplomatic ties to the United States, a high likelihood of J-1 visa approval and the best fit for a cultural exchange experience. While we have previously seen successful visa approvals from Venezuela, we have not observed any impact from the recent presidential action at this time.
All of our Au Pairs undergo thorough background checks and meet all U.S. Department of State screening requirements, including criminal history reviews. The enhanced vetting measures outlined in the presidential action do not currently affect our recruitment or screening procedures.
Date Published: 6/9/2025
June 2, 2025: Congressional Budget Justification/Skinny Budget
On June 2 Congress released the Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ) to accompany the earlier released “Skinny Budget” for the 2026 fiscal year, The CBJ more thoroughly details proposed cuts related to the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and a large except is quoted below.
Although Go Au Pair does not rely on federal funding for program operations, there is notable alignment with the budget objectives and Go Au Pair’s objectives including:
- Objective to focus on programs that “yield direct and tangible benefits for American citizens, national security and the economy”. Au Pairs provide affordable childcare for American parents who support America’s economy.
- Objective to preserve ECA staff necessary for “management and program oversight capabilities”. Go Au Pair follows mandatory reporting procedures to ECA including annual audits, annual reports and incident reporting and is responsible for the time, effort and cost burden of demonstrating compliance.
- Objective to review exchange programs and “ensure alignment with America First policies, continued relevance in the 21st century, and effectiveness.” Go Au Pair welcomes program reviews and opportunities to make the Au Pair experience more modern and beneficial for everyone. We’ve undergone numerous State Department reviews since program inception in 1989, we support the federal regulations and would welcome federal preemption.
From the CBJ:
“The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) implements U.S. foreign policy objectives through targeted educational, cultural, and professional exchange programs and public engagement activities. The FY 2026 Request of $50 million is focused on providing core program management. Funding requested under the Educational and Cultural Exchange (ECE) appropriation will consolidate programs that yield direct and tangible benefits for American citizens, national security, and the economy. Furthermore, the request factors in an intended reduction in ECA’s staffing level to 185 personnel, a reduction of approximately 63 percent, to ensure ECA is able to retain necessary management and program oversight capabilities.”
“In moving the Nation towards greater fiscal responsibility, many of these programs are not affordable in their current form. Many of ECE’s programs were founded after WWII amidst the backdrop of the Cold War to increase mutual understanding between Americans and foreigners. Accordingly, the Department will conduct a ground-up review of all exchange programs to ensure alignment with America First policies, continued relevance in the 21st century, and effectiveness.”
Date Published: 5/30/2025
May 30, 2025: Department of State Press Conference
On Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Department of State held a press briefing where spokesperson Tammy Bruce addressed questions regarding the timeline for the guidance on enhanced social media vetting which has caused the pause in visa appointments.
While the statements are brief, Go Au Pair has interpreted the following:
- The expectation for the appointment pause is a brief timeline of less than “weeks or months”
- Our recommendation from earlier is sound and Au Pairs should continue to check and recheck the embassy online systems for available appointments
- The Au Pair Program remains welcomed and participation is encouraged
Ms. Bruce stated:
“I can’t give you a specific timeline, but there will be more information. … At the same time, we have confirmed that it’s – the details are accurate. … And this is, as a result, not an interminable kind of end – there is an endpoint, and it should be rather quick, as consulates and embassies make adjustments when it comes to how they handle visas.”
“ Well, one thing I can tell you – a few things I can say is people can still make their application, do their regular steps… And what I’m told to encourage people to do is to regularly check to see when those spaces open. So as opposed to – let me just say, I would not be recommending that if this was going to be weeks or months. So if you’re – if you’ve applied for a visa, and you want to, please do. Then if there’s no – if you’re not getting an appointment, just – there’s an online system. You continually recheck to see when those spots might open. I can’t tell you immediately after some indetermined moment of an action, but I can tell you that it’s something that would happen perhaps sooner than later.”
Although the specific timeframe remains unknown, Go Au Pair continues to operate as usual and encourage all our participants, Host Families and Au Pairs to proceed as normal. A very small subset of our out-of-country Au Pairs are currently impacted by the pause and we are closely monitoring the situation.
Date Published: 5/29/2025
May 29, 2025: Temporary Pause on Exchange Visitor Visa Appointments - What Host Families and Au Pairs should know (Q&A)
What is happening and why?
The temporary pause on embassy appointments for J-1 visas seems to be in place to allow time for consular officers to adopt new operations and procedures for enhanced social media vetting of applicants.
These new procedures appear to be in response to Executive Order 14161 titled, Protecting The United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats. In the order it states:
“It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes. To protect Americans, the United States must be vigilant during the visa-issuance process to ensure that those aliens approved for admission into the United States do not intend to harm Americans or our national interests. More importantly, the United States must identify them before their admission or entry into the United States.”
As we have referenced in prior articles the administration had previously started more enhanced vetting of visa applicant’s social media.
How long is the pause?
At this time, it is unclear as to how long the pause will be in place and numerous factors will impact the timeframe before normal visa processing can resume including:
- Timeframe of enhanced social media screening guidance being released
- Timeframe for the embassy to adopt and train on the new procedures
- Backlog of appointments which accumulates during the pause
- Unknown time impact to actual visa appointment process with the enhanced social media screening in place
We anticipate the pause time frame will vary embassy to embassy as well as the impact from backlog of appointments. Our understanding is the social media screening guidance is a top priority and will be provided to consular officers quickly.
What is the impact on Host Families and Au Pairs waiting to schedule an embassy appointment?
Go Au Pair is still able to process DS-2019 visa sponsorship documents as usual. The pause will simply cause a delay in Au Pair visa appointments and arrival to the U.S. depending on each Host Family’s selected arrival date.
Au Pair arrivals generally fluctuate depending on the time of year, with most arrivals coordinated to the start of summer or around the start of the U.S. school year. Arrivals scheduled for the start of summer are unlikely to be impacted as these Au Pairs have already had their visa appointments and visa approvals. We believe arrivals coordinated to the beginning of the U.S. school year could potentially be at risk for a delay.
Each embassy location will have different time frames at which they respond to new procedures and their own backlog will differ depending on location. Based on our prior experience Go Au Pair estimates a pause exceeding one month would cause a delay in any planned Fall/U.S. school year arrival. This estimate is based on all the information that is available to us currently and is a generalization.
Host Families who are hoping for a late June or July Au Pair arrival time frame may be at a greater risk of delay depending on the length of the pause and embassy backlog.
Au Pairs with current appointments should not be affected by the pause, however we have received information through the industry about some instances where applicants with current appointments have been turned away. Go Au Pair will continue to closely monitor our applicants that currently have visa appointments, and we will communicate any delays to those Host Families affected.
What to expect now and what can you do?
Au Pairs who currently have their DS-2019 and are trying to schedule an embassy appointment are likely not seeing appointments available or find their embassy scheduler inaccessible. This is to be expected as each embassy manages their own scheduling implementation, and it is not uniform across each U.S. embassy. Depending on the embassy, the scheduler could be offline completely or they could show a blackout of appointments for a certain timeframe. No single embassy’s scheduling blackout represents the actual time delay, this is just each embassy’s way of responding to the pause quickly and removing access to schedule appointments.
Au Pairs waiting to schedule a visa appointment
Au Pairs should check the embassy website daily to see when appointments are available as information about the pause is very limited.
Visa applicants pay a fee to book their embassy appointment and there is no fee to reschedule an appointment date. Au Pairs can schedule a later date if available and then try to reschedule if an earlier date becomes available. We suggest Au Pairs keep a close watch on appointment availability to get the earliest possible appointment date when scheduling becomes available again.
Au Pairs should continue to follow the usual process for scheduling visa appointments and should communicate with their agency in their home country for any guidance regularly.
Host Families waiting for visa approval and Au Pair arrival
Depending on the desired arrival date for the Au Pair, Host Families may need to plan on flexibility for Au Pair arrival dates in case there are delays. Families should consider the possibility of temporary childcare coverage if there are delays in arrival due to the pause. Host Families can contact their Placement Coordinator for any additional guidance.
Au Pairs who already have their visa or are already in the U.S.
We do not anticipate any impact to Au Pairs who have their visa in hand or are already in the U.S. Au Pairs who have received their visa should plan on arriving to the U.S. as planned based on their Host Family’s planned arrival date.
Host Families and Au Pairs who are planning to extend should see no impact because the extension process does not require an embassy appointment. Host Families who currently have an Au Pair and want the least risk in continued childcare should consider extending with their current Au Pair. Contact your Placement Coordinator for more information on extension and in country Au Pair options.
We do not anticipate any issues with Au Pairs traveling internationally. Please refer to our guidance in our previous article regarding Au Pairs and international travel.
What is Go Au Pair doing?
Go Au Pair is closely monitoring the situation and staying informed on all information as it becomes available. We are proactively contacting Host Families and Au Pairs who may experience delays.
It is unfortunate to see exchange programs disrupted, especially knowing how much families rely on Au Pair child care. We understand many American parents could face childcare challenges which can add stress at home and impact their ability to work effectively.
We want to reassure you that Go Au Pair does not have concerns about enhanced social media screening for Au Pairs as this type of screening has been in place since 2019. We agree with efforts that strengthen national security but we wish the implementation of enhanced processes was handled more smoothly so working American families who rely on Au Pair childcare don’t have to bear the burden.
Date Published: 5/28/2025
May 27, 2025: Reported Trump administration pauses new student visa interviews to weigh social media vetting
Politico reported they obtained a cable signed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio stating “Effective immediately, in preparation for an expansion of required social media screening and vetting, consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued septel, which we anticipate in the coming days,” . (“Septel” is State Department shorthand for “separate telegram.”)”
Social media vetting has been a part of the visa interview process since 2019, as we’ve noted in previous articles linked in this post. The Politico article states “The cable doesn’t directly spell out what the future social media vetting would screen for, but it alludes to executive orders that are aimed at keeping out terrorists and battling antisemitism.”
At this time, Go Au Pair has not received any additional information regarding if or how J-1 Au Pair visas will be affected by this pause. We are closely monitoring current visa appointments and future scheduling and proceeding with normal operations. We are prepared to respond accordingly if the pause on visa appointments significantly impacts Au Pair arrival times into the U.S. and will provide updates as they are provided.
Date Published: 5/15/2025
May 12, 2025: FY26 "Skinny" budget and other funding changes
On May 2, 2025 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Skinny Budget which aims to “ensures that foreign aid spending is efficient and consistent with U.S. foreign policy under the America First agenda” and reduces funding to Educational and Cultural Exchanges by $691 million.
Go Au Pair is monitoring this situation and continues to entrust Alliance for International Exchanges on recommended next steps. Although the Au Pair Program and Exchange Visitor Visas (J) are distinct from Student Visas (F) and international student programs, both are administered by ECA and therefore risk impact from budget cuts. Go Au Pair does not rely on federal funding for day-to-day program operations, is sufficiently monitored through annual auditing and management reports and provides tremendous benefit to American families seeking in home cultural experiences and invaluable child care services.
Date Published: 5/15/2025
April 22, 2025: Department of State reorganization and reductions
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, released a press statement explaining the Trump administration’s vision for the State Department. In the statement he says “Today I am announcing a comprehensive reorganization plan that will bring the Department into the 21st Century. This approach will empower the Department from the ground up, from the bureaus to the embassies. Region-specific functions will be consolidated to increase functionality, redundant offices will be removed, and non-statutory programs that are misaligned with America’s core national interests will cease to exist.”
Along with the press statement a new organizational chart for the U.S. State Department was released showing how changes will be implemented in the coming months and how Educational and Cultural Affairs aligns with the rest of the Department. Additionally, plans for bureau consolidations, office transitions and an overall 15% staff reduction have been reported in the media.
The Au Pair program along with other J1 cultural exchange programs are supported under the Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) department of the State Department. While re-organizations and staff reductions to the Department of State could affect the ECA, Go Au Pair has not been notified of any impact to the Au Pair program and do not anticipate significant issues with the proposed changes.
Date Published: 4/3/2025
March 31, 2025: Certain Visa holders detained at U.S. borders
A Yahoo article reports “Several foreign nationals and tourists have been arrested or deported in recent weeks, as the Trump administration ramps up its immigration enforcement. Some of the cases appear to be over legitimate issues, while others seem highly politicized.” President Trump stated in a social media post “We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity, and the Trump Administration will not tolerate it.”
Go Au Pair has not received any reports from our Au Pair participants regarding issues entering the U.S. or re-entering the U.S. with their valid J-visas and supporting documents. We encourage our Au Pairs to carefully follow all instructions provided by border control when entering or re-entering the U.S. during their Au Pair program.
Date Published: 4/3/2025
March 27, 2025: State Department Requires U.S. Consulates to Perform Social Media Review for Certain Visa Applicants
The Guardian reported “A state department cable from 25 March, obtained by the Guardian, describes a new standard for visa denials based on a broad definition of what constitutes support for “terrorist activity”. The directive states that “evidence that an applicant advocates for terrorist activity, or otherwise demonstrates a degree of public approval or public advocacy for terrorist activity or a terrorist organization” can be grounds for visa rejection. It specifically targets new and renewing F, M and J student visa applications, providing explicit instructions for consular officers to conduct mandatory social media reviews digging into applicants’ lives online. Officers are directed to examine the social media of all students applying to a visa for evidence of activities the administration defines as a threat to national security or terrorism.”
Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, states “Evidence that an applicant advocates for terrorist activity or otherwise demonstrates a degree of public approval or public advocacy for terrorist activity or a terrorist organization may be indicative of ineligibility, This may be evident in conduct that bears a hostile attitude towards US citizens or US culture, including government institutions or founding principles.”
The U.S. Department of State began requesting visa applicants social media identifiers in 2019 as part of their regular visa process. They state “We are constantly working to find mechanisms to improve our screening processes to protect U.S. citizens, while supporting legitimate travel to the United States”
Go Au Pair and its international partners already comprehend a potential Au Pair’s social media presence as part of the screening and selection process to help determine if the candidate is a good fit for the program and for the cultural experience. A potential candidate with wildly concerning or troublesome content on social media is unlikely to succeed in the program and would not be accepted. Au Pairs applying to come to the U.S. are genuinely interested in immersing themselves in American culture, challenging stereotypes and building meaningful connections with their host families. As a result, it’s highly unlikely for an Au Pair to engage in anti-American rhetoric. We have not experienced any visa denial for an Au Pair because of social media content and are not concerned at this time that our J1 Au Pair visa applicants will be hindered by the new Department of State initiative for social media screening.
We encourage our Au Pair candidates to be mindful of their social media content to reduce the risk of misunderstandings or accidental images appearing in photos/videos which were not intended. Similarly, we encourage Au Pairs to use social media and create content in whatever way best expresses them as individuals; their values, what they love, and what’s important in their lives.
Date Published: 3/19/2025
March 19, 2025: 60-Day Review Period comes to an end on Presidential Action for National Security
In a presidential action on January 20, 2025 states “It is the policy of the United States to protect its citizens from aliens who intend to commit terrorist attacks, threaten our national security, espouse hateful ideology, or otherwise exploit the immigration laws for malevolent purposes.”
“Within 60 days of the date of this order, the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence shall jointly submit to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security, a report:
(i) identifying countries throughout the world for which vetting and screening information is so deficient as to warrant a partial or full suspension on the admission of nationals from those countries”
On March 21 the 60 day review period will come to an end. Multiple news articles have speculated on the countries which will experience travel restrictions or bans to the U.S. A Newsweek article published on March 15, 2025 reiterated the “executive order issued by Trump on January 20, which required intensified security vetting of any foreigners seeking entry into the U.S. in order to detect national security threats” and provided a draft list of potentially impacted countries across three levels of restrictions.
According to the Newsweek article 11 countries on the Red List “would be completely banned from entering the U.S.” and “include: Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cuba, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen”. Newsweek reports 10 counties on the Orange List whose “citizens would face additional restrictions, but not an entire ban from entering the U.S.” and include: “Belarus, Eritrea, Haiti, Laos, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Turkmenistan.” Lastly, Newsweek reports 22 countries on the Yellow List which would have “60 days to address deficiency concerns or risk being moved to another category” and “includes: Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Chad, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Vanuatu, Zimbabwe.”
Go Au Pair presently and historically have only recruited Au Pairs from countries with strong diplomatic relations with the U.S. and a high likelihood of being approved for a J-1 Au Pair visa. In the past we have had Au Pair visas approved from Venezuela, Belarus, Russia and Zimbabwe. We are currently accepting Au Pair candidates from Russia (draft Orange List), Belarus (draft Orange List), and Zimbabwe (draft Yellow List) and at this time have not experienced an impact from the presidential action.
All our Au Pairs pass background investigations and meet the required screening per State Department Regulations, including criminal background checks. The enhanced vetting and screening described in the presidential action from January 20, 2025 does not currently impact or alter our Au Pair recruitment and screening processes, however, we are more closely monitoring the outcomes of visa appointments from the three countries listed above which could be impacted.
Au Pair Visa denial trends which we have seen over our 35+ years of experience are always related to a candidate’s “insufficient ties to their home country” (considered a risk of not returning home after the program) and statistical analysis demonstrating overwhelming quantity of Au Pairs from particular countries not returning home after their Au Pair Program ends. The Au Pair program in the U.S. is intended to foster cultural exchange and strengthen diplomatic relations with the intention that Au Pairs return to their home country to share their experience.
Date Published: 3/5/2025
February 27, 2025: Politico Article – Trump wants to shrink the State Department’s size, reach and focus
A Politico article reports “President Donald Trump wants to radically shrink the State Department — leaving it with fewer diplomats, a smaller number of embassies and a narrower remit…”
The article states “POLITICO also obtained a list of potential consulates that could be cut. The targets mentioned are in Rennes, Lyon, Strasbourg, and Bordeaux in France; Dusseldorf, Leipzig, and Hamburg in Germany; Florence, Italy; Ponta Delgada, Portugal; and Belo Horizonte, Brazil.”
Currently, Go Au Pair has no confirmation of cuts within the State Department and has not seen negative impacts to J1 visas. Should the embassies listed above be impacted, those posts are not common locations for our Au Pair candidates obtaining visas so we would expect little to no impact
Lastly, the article implies “The USAID cuts suggest the State Department’s bureau that focuses on human rights and democracy could get scaled down if not axed…If the trend continues, other State bureaus that could be in danger include the Educational and Cultural Affairs bureau; the Conflict and Stabilization Operations bureau; the bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.”
At this time Go Au Pair has no confirmations of actual risks to ECA and has not experienced negative impacts to the Au Pair Program. We continue to believe in the positive support Au Pairs provide to working American parents, the profound impact their experience in America has on the rest of their lives back in their home country, and the overall benefit as a diplomacy tool.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
February 23, 2025: Email “What did you do last week”
NPR reported “a federal government- wide email asking employees “What did you do last week?” plunged workers and agencies into a weekend of confusion and conflicting directives. It’s reported White House advisor, Elon Musk, said “failure to reply would be taken as resignation.” But some department officials told their employees they could hold off on responding.”
Go Au Pair is a private company and our employees are not federal employees. While the email has no impact on us, the federal employees at the Department of State and U.S. embassies will be responsible for their own response. As of February 26, 2025 we have not been made aware of any negative affects to the federal staff who participate in the Au Pair Program.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
February 21, 2025 Judge allows Trump Administration continued dismantling of USAID
In relation to executive order, Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid, issued on January 20, 2025 AP News released an article stating “A federal judge on Friday cleared the way for one of the Trump administration’s remaining steps in its dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), allowing it to move forward with pulling thousands of USAID staffers off the job in the United States and around the world.”
Go Au Pair does not work with the The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and are not dependent on its funding or resources.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
February 21, 2025: U.S. Federal Judge blocks portion of DEI Executive Order
Multiple media outlets like the Washington Post and AP News reported February 21, 2025 a “U.S. district judge allowed for a preliminary injunction that blocks parts of the Executive Order relating to DEI that would require certification that federal contractors do not engage in DEI practices. The order also prohibits enforcement of the order against public companies and universities.”
Similar to our prior response Go Au Pair is a private entity, making both the original order and the injunction non-impactful. Neither the original order nor more recent injunction negatively affect the enduring spirit of cultural exchange in the Au Pair program.
The Au pair program remains unaffected by this executive order and continue to focus on cultural exchange and childcare opportunities for international adults and U.S. families.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
February 12, 2025: One Voice for America’s Foreign Relations
In the executive order issued by President Trump on February 12, 2025 it’s outlined that “all officers or employees charged with implementing the foreign policy of the United States must under Article II of the United States Constitution do so under the direction and authority of the President. Failure to faithfully implement the President’s policy is grounds for professional discipline, including separation. The personnel procedures of executive departments and agencies (agencies) charged with implementing the President’s foreign policy must therefore provide an effective and efficient means for ensuring that officers and employees faithfully implement the President’s policies.”
This fact sheet states “President Trump is committed to safeguarding the integrity of U.S. foreign policy by ensuring that America’s interests are prioritized through a unified diplomatic voice” and “The Order guarantees a strong and effective approach to international relations that always serves U.S. interests first.” Lastly, the Executive Order released on January 20, 2025 titled AMERICA FIRST POLICY DIRECTIVE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE states “As soon as practicable, the Secretary of State shall issue guidance bringing the Department of State’s policies, programs, personnel, and operations in line with an America First foreign policy, which puts America and its interests first.”
The Au Pair program is a successful foreign diplomacy tool and therefore we believe is well aligned to any initiatives resulting from these orders. The Program’s unique structure has international young adults to living in the homes of U.S. families and experiencing, first hand, American values which they take with them back to their home country.
According to an Reuters article “Sources said some embassies had been asked to look into reducing both U.S. staff as well as locally-employed staff by 10% each, with a list of the workforce due to be sent to the State Department by Friday, which will then determine further actions.”
Although the risk of embassy staff reduction could have negative impacts to the visa process for Au Pairs, as of the issuance of the order, Go Au Pair has not received any reports from our international partners regarding issues with Au Pair J1 visa appointments or visa approvals. At this time we have no further information of which embassies may be impacted, which staff, or what impacts there could be to Au Pair visas.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
February 2, 2025: Are Au Pairs at risk of deportation or detention by ICE? (FAQ)
The following communication was distributed to members of the Go Au Pair community in response to growing concerns over Au Pairs being misidentified by ICE.
Au Pairs actively under sponsorship in the Au Pair Program are not at risk
U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE)’s mission is to protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws.
Au Pairs actively under sponsorship in the Au Pair Program are not illegal immigrants. Au Pairs receive legal non-immigrant J1 Visas, enter the U.S. legally as evidenced by Form I-94 , live here temporarily and return home at the end of their program. Au Pairs under sponsorship are not at risk of deportation or detention.
An Au Pair encountering an ICE agent is highly unlikely. But if concerns exist, Au Pairs can consider:
- Carrying a copy of their Form I-94 Arrival/Departure record.
- This document demonstrates you entered the U.S. legally, explains your visa type and permitted length of stay
- Form I-94 is obtained electronically by the Au Pair, 10 days after arrival
- Au Pairs may download additional copies of Form I-94 from (How to obtain the I-94 for Au Pairs (How To))
- Carrying a copy and/or photo of Form DS-2019
- This document demonstrates your sponsorship under Go Au Pair in the Au Pair Program and always contains your current program dates
- Keep important contact details handy so you know who to call if encountered by an ICE agent.
- Host Parents phone numbers and address
- Local Success Coach phone number
- Go Au Pair’s 24 hour phone number found in the Au Pair Workbook.
- Go Au Pair headquarters phone number 888-287-2471
- Avoid popular locations of known or suspected illegal immigrants, especially criminals
- Au Pairs should always be thoughtful and aware of the people they spend time with
- Preserve valid sponsorship under Go Au Pair
- Au Pairs should keep in regular contact with Go Au Pair via their Local Area Representative, Placement Coordinator, or any other point of contact. Especially during re-match situations Go Au Pair always needs to know where Au Pairs are physically located and what their plans are.
- Carry copies and/or photos of other identifying or legal non-immigrant status documents such as: J-1 Visa, U.S. Driver’s License, passport from home country
- Au Pairs traveling outside of the U.S. for vacation during their program should submit all DS2019 copies to Go Au Pair for travel validation. Travel Validation Requests & International travel Requirements (How To)
- When travelling outside the U.S. the Au Pair should bring:
- All copies of Form DS-2019 (printed, signed by the Au Pair and travel validated by Go Au Pair)
- J-1 Visa
- Passport from home country
- Other forms of U.S. identification such as social security card or driver’s license
- A printed copy of the Department of State’s message about BridgeUSA programs allowing electronic DS2019 transmission located here
- Au Pairs are responsible for researching any requirements for reentry into the U.S. Au Pairs must research entry requirements for the country visited. Visa requirements and travel restrictions will be different for a Host Family of U.S. origin than for the Au Pair from their home country. Start research early as paperwork may take time to obtain. Au Pair travel outside the U.S. is limited to a 30-day maximum at one time.
- When travelling outside the U.S. the Au Pair should bring:
Social Media Awareness
We encourage our Au Pair candidates to be mindful of their social media content to reduce the risk of misunderstandings or accidental images appearing in photos/videos which were not intended. Similarly, we encourage Au Pairs to use social media and create content in whatever way best expresses them as individuals; their values, what they love, and what’s important in their lives.
At this time we are not aware of any unique considerations regarding Au Pair travel state to state. If you are concerned about traveling outside your state make sure you follow the information above for paperwork you should have with you.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
January 28, 2025: Fork in the Road – Deferred Resignation Email to Federal Employees
In an email President Trump issued a number of directives concerning the federal workforce. In an article by the Associated Press they outline “A memo from the Office of Personnel Management, the government’s human resources agency, also said it would begin subjecting all federal employees to “enhanced standards of suitability and conduct” and ominously warned of future downsizing. The email sent to millions of employees said those who leave their posts voluntarily will receive about eight months of salary, but they have to choose to do so by Feb. 6.”
Go Au Pair is a private business entity meaning the contents of the email are not applicable and do not affect the operations of Go Au Pair or its employees directly. Go Au Pair is a U.S. Department of State J1 visa sponsor and therefore works closely with and is reliant on federal employees at the Department of State, U.S. embassies and consulates, and the OMB. There is a small risk the deferred resignation could reduce the number of federal employees at the Department of State or employees working at U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the world however, as of the order’s published date we have not seen hinderance of operations at the federal level.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
January 20, 2025: White House Executive Order – Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) Programs
The President’s executive order states in Sec. 2. Implementation. “Sec. 2. (a) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), assisted by the Attorney General and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), shall coordinate the termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
Go Au Pair is a private entity and not part of the Federal Government therefore making this order not applicable to us. The Au Pair Program as a whole, however, heavily relies on Federal involvement from the State Department, OMB and Embassies worldwide therefore Go Au Pair must comprehend the EO’s objectives and appropriately align. The Au Pair program is not at risk from the issuance of this executive order. Since our inception in 1989, Go Au Pair has celebrated cultural exchange, international understanding, and the unique person-to-person relationships that occur between international Au Pairs and families in the U.S.. We have always fairly and uniformly enabled access to the Au Pair Program for both our Au Pair and Host Family Participants in accordance to State Department regulations. We have not altered any of our marketing, recruitment or operational practices in response to DEI initiatives being introduced and therefore do not need to alter any in response to the order. The Au Pair Program has always been centered on expanding U.S. diplomacy around the world through the rich diversity of countries Au Pairs come from. This executive order currently does not affect the enduring spirit of cultural exchange in the Au Pair program.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
January 20, 2025: White House Executive Order – Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid
This order issued by the President asserts “it is the policy of United States that no further United States foreign assistance shall be disbursed in a manner that is not fully aligned with the foreign policy of the President of the United States.”
In Sec. 3. (a) the executive order states a “90-day pause in United States foreign development assistance for assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy. All department and agency heads with responsibility for United States foreign development assistance programs shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs for programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy, to be conducted within 90 days of this order. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall enforce this pause through its apportionment authority.”
In a press statement on January 26, 2025 from a Department of State spokesperson it claims “The mandate from the American people was clear – we must refocus on American national interests. The Department and USAID take their role as stewards of taxpayer dollars very seriously. The implementation of this Executive Order and the Secretary’s direction furthers that mission. As Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, “Every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer? Does it make America stronger? Does it make America more prosperous?””
The Au Pair program is not considered a foreign aid initiative and Go Au Pair specifically is a private entity which does not receive foreign aid related funds. Go Au Pair is not impacted by any changes in foreign aid policy at this time. While the Au Pair program has proven to be a successful diplomacy tool sharing U.S. culture with young international adults worldwide, it does not fall into the category of foreign aid.
Date Published: 2/28/2025
November 12, 2024: No risks to the Au Pair Program under another Trump Administration
The following communication was distributed to members of the Go Au Pair community in response to Trump’s re-election to President.
Dear Go Au Pair Community,
We understand there may be feelings of concern in our community over the uncertainty of actions which may possibly impact the Au Pair Program in the next Presidential Administration.
Go Au Pair does not believe the Au Pair Program is in any danger nor are we concerned about operating under a Trump Administration.
President-elect Trump was President from 2017 to 2020. During that time there were no changes made to the Au Pair Program outside of the COVID related suspensions. The U.S. Federal Government operates with three branches (Executive, Congress and Judicial) exactly to prevent a single President from operating unilaterally without the other two branches.
The Au Pair Program, along with other exchanges, have enjoyed strong bipartisan support over the past 35+ years and will continue to be supported from both sides into the future. Sponsors work closely with organizations like the Alliance for International Exchange for the purpose of maintaining this support through the continuous changes in Congress and Administrations.
Statements made on President-elect Trump’s campaign website indicate proposed actions related to illegal immigration. Au Pairs actively under sponsorship in the Au Pair Program are not illegal immigrants. Au Pairs receive non-immigrant J1 Visas, enter the U.S. legally, live here temporarily and return home at the end of their program. Au Pairs under sponsorship are not at risk of deportation and statements made about illegal immigration are not applicable.
Other statements made on President-elect Trump’s campaign website indicate proposed actions which the Au Pair Program aligns with such as admitting foreign nationals into the country who contribute positively to U.S. society and economy, lowering cost of living prices for everyday services, supporting families and supporting working parents.
Proposed Federal budget cuts are an action which could impact the Program as visa and State Department monitoring processes require governmental resources. However, Au Pair Program sponsors like Go Au Pair are private companies which do not receive any federal funding and program participants pay SEVIS fees to cover the costs of visa interviews and processing. The execution of the Au Pair Program is a minimal expense of the Federal budget and is unlikely to be considered wasteful governmental spending.
As always, Go Au Pair encourages participants and partners to make the decisions they are most comfortable with related to their future participation in the Au Pair Program after evaluating their own concerns and risks; we will always uphold our end of contractual agreements.
The United States is and will always be a great place! And the participants of the Au Pair Program who are actively sharing U.S. culture and the cultures of their home countries help make the United States and the world even greater!
Thank you,
Devon Kapler
Executive Director
