Au pair in Germany from the Philippines
Filipino au pairs apply for a German national visa at the German Embassy in Manila, and before they leave, the Philippines has its own exit step with the Commission on Filipinos Overseas (CFO). Below is what the embassy asks for, what the Philippine side requires, and the German rules that apply once you live with the family.
Applications go to: German Embassy Manila
Visa and application
- How common it is
In 2024, 1,270 au pairs came to Germany according to the Federal Government’s Migration Report, and nationals of the Philippines were among the largest groups, with the United States and Kyrgyzstan. The report notes that short stays may be under-counted, because the visa usually covers the stay.
- Where to apply
In person at the German Embassy in Manila, with an appointment booked in the embassy’s online appointment system once all documents are ready. You do not need a pre-approval from German authorities: the Federal Employment Agency’s approval is obtained during the visa process.
Source: German Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) (checked 19 Sep 2026)
- Age
18 to 26 years old when you submit the visa application. The stay lasts 6 to 12 months.
Source: German Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) (checked 19 Sep 2026)
- German
Level A1. The embassy accepts a certificate from an ALTE-certified provider — Goethe-Institut, ÖSD, telc, TestDaF or ECL — that is not older than one year. If you apply without an A1 certificate, the embassy tests your German at the counter.
Source: German Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) (checked 19 Sep 2026)
- Host family
At least one minor child, German as the language the family communicates in, and no kinship between you and the family.
Source: German Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) (checked 19 Sep 2026)
- Visa fee
€75, paid in Philippine pesos.
Source: German Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) (checked 19 Sep 2026)
- Documents
Each as original plus one copy on A4: passport, the signed application form, two biometric photos, the au pair contract signed by both sides with the length of stay, weekly hours with a detailed weekly schedule and the pocket money, the Federal Employment Agency’s questionnaire filled in by the host family, the family’s insurance for you (health, liability, accident), the family’s registration certificate (Meldebescheinigung) including the children and not older than one year, a motivation letter and a CV in table form.
Source: German Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) (checked 19 Sep 2026)
- Leaving the Philippines
Au pair visa holders bound for Europe must complete the CFO Guidance and Counseling Program before departure. When the CFO dropped that requirement for tourist-visa holders in September 2023, it kept it for au pairs.
- Agreement for the CFO
After the visa is granted you may need a clearance from the CFO. For it, you present the notarised “Agreement for placement for au pair to Germany”, signed by the host family, which states that the host family covers all travel expenses. The German Embassy gives no advice or support on this step; ask the CFO or the Philippine Embassy in Berlin.
Source: German Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) (checked 19 Sep 2026)
What we could not verify
These figures are missing on purpose. We found no official source stating them, and an estimate on a page about rules is worse than a gap.
- How long you wait for an appointment and how long the embassy takes to decide. The Manila visa page states neither.
- What the CFO seminar costs and how long it takes. We cite a Philippine Bureau of Immigration notice about the requirement, not a CFO page with the procedure; ask the CFO.
Once you live with the family in Germany
These rules come from the destination’s rules page and are the same wherever the au pair comes from.
- Working hours
Household duties including looking after the children must as a rule not take more than six hours a day and 30 hours a week. Going beyond that needs to be agreed in advance, and the extra hours have to be compensated with time off.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, April 2023 (checked 17 Sep 2026)
- Pocket money
€280 a month, independent of the hours of housework. Board and lodging are provided free of charge, including an own room in the family’s home.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, April 2023 (checked 17 Sep 2026)
- Language course
The host family contributes at least €840 in total towards learning German. It can be paid as €70 a month over the stay or as a single payment of €840, and only to the extent the costs actually arise. Travel costs to the nearest suitable German course are paid on top.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, April 2023 (checked 17 Sep 2026)
- Length of stay
The placement must last at least six months and at most one year. A second au pair placement is not possible, even if the year was not used up.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, April 2023 (checked 17 Sep 2026)
- Insurance
Au pair placements are not subject to compulsory social insurance, but the au pair must be insured for illness, pregnancy and childbirth and against accidents. All premiums are borne by the host family.
Source: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, April 2023 (checked 17 Sep 2026)
Sources
- Migrationsbericht der Bundesregierung 2024Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF) für die Bundesregierung · Kapitel 3, S. 83 · checked 19 Sep 2026
- Long-stay national visa applications — Visa for au pairGerman Embassy Manila (Auswärtiges Amt) · checked 19 Sep 2026
- BI to implement Lessened Requirements set by the CFOBureau of Immigration, Republic of the Philippines · published 7 September 2023 · checked 19 Sep 2026
- Au-pair in deutschen Familien — Informationen für Au-pair und GastfamilienBundesagentur für Arbeit · April 2023 · checked 17 Sep 2026
This page is a summary of what the named authorities publish, not legal advice. Missions change their requirements and checklists without notice. Check the linked page of the mission before you book an appointment, and ask the mission if anything is unclear.
Other countries of origin
Tools for the year
Plan the year together in one app
AuPairSync is a family app for host families and au pairs: a shared calendar, the weekly schedule, tasks and messages in one place. It does not handle visa applications, and nothing on this page is passed on to the app.