Being an au pair or nanny in China

Basic information – visa for childcare work in China

Au pairs from Europe: there is au pair exchange program with China.
Au pairs from other countries: There is some difference of visa application between international students and other foreigners. According to the policy of Beijing Public Security Bureau, international students should apply the visa at ISO through the Trader-Link Agency. The Trader-Link Agency will transfer the applicants’ personal information to Beijing Public Security Bureau. With the permission of Beijing Public Security Bureau, applicants can get the Visa Application Form.

Visa type(s) for au pairs / nannies

In China, there is no specific au pair Visa. X2 student visa is recommended by the Chinese Consulate.
X1 Visa is for people studying in China for more than 6 months. Once issued, it allows applicants 30 days to register at the international student office of their university and apply for a residence permit. Before applying for a residence permit however, students are required to get a health report from the Beijing Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Bureau.
X2 visa is for people engaging in short-term (less than 6 months) academic activities in China. It specifies how many days in total applicants are allowed to stay in China on the visa page. For example: if you enter China with an X2 visa valid for 90 days on August 25, you may stay until November 23.

Basic eligibility for au pair / nanny visa

Although the requirement for Chinese visa largely remains the same across different Chinese Consulates, there are some special rules pertaining to each different Consulate. Your residence country possibly have additional requirements, therefore you have to check on the official government website what applies to you.
A Precondition for the X2 student visa is enrolling at a Chinese university. You’ll also need JW201 or JW202 issued by the State Education Ministry of China. Foreigners under 18 who submit the application for the first time in China shall prepare the birth certificates, passports of parents and certification of overseas residence status. Relevant rules please refer to No. 23 Notice of the Regulations on Foreigners’ Visa Application.

Au pair / nanny visa duration

• 1. X2 visa holders could apply for an extension with validity of no longer than 180 days.
• Non-X2-visa-holders could apply for an X2 visa renewal with the validity of less than 1 year, the stay duration of less than 180 days and various number of entries from zero to multiple. However, the accumulative duration of stay with the renewed visa could not exceed 1 year from the date of the latest entry of China.
• The extension of a current X2 visa is only valid for this referred entry and does not affect the number of entries or the validity on the original visa. The accumulated term of extension shall not exceed the original duration of stay which is specified on the visa. http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/visa/t1427062.htm

Basic condition for au pair / nanny visa

You must hold a valid passport from an eligible country. Your passport has to have at least 6 months of remaining validity and 8 free pages as well as a copy of the pages with your photo and personal details.

Eligible countries of origin / nationality possibilities for visa applications

Although the requirement for Chinese visa largely remains the same across different Chinese Consulates, there are some special rules pertaining to each different Consulate. Your residence country possibly have additional requirements. You have to check on the official government website what applies to you.

Basic general visa application requirements

• Invitation letter from host family to au pair, stating all details and conditions of the au pair / nanny job (dates and duration, working hours, salary, insurance, duties & responsibilities of both parties etc).
• Signed contract / agreement between host family and au pair.
• Adequate visa application forms and fees etc (This is a general summary abut visas, check the specifics on the official government website.)

USEFUL LINK(S)	http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/visa/t1427062.htm
INTERESTED?	Please don’t forget it is your responsibility to check all the details and the latest information on the official government website of the country.