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Belgium Au Pair Visa: Rules for Au Pairs and Host Families

Au pair work permit and visa D

In short

An au pair aged 18 to 25 can live with a Belgian host family for up to one year, helping with light household tasks in exchange for room, board and at least EUR 450 a month in pocket money. The host family first obtains a work permit from the region, and the au pair then applies for a type D visa.

Apply on Visa on Web (Belgian online visa application) checked 25 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay
One year at most, including a single possible renewal
Validity
Work permit and residence limited to the placement, never beyond one year
Fee
€242Immigration Office contribution fee for an au pair D visa (Article 9, 2026). Beneficiaries of the EEC–Turkey Association Agreement are exempt. A separate D visa handling fee is paid when you apply.
Funds required
€450 per monthMinimum fixed pocket money the host family pays into the au pair's account every month (Flemish rules).
Processing time
Flanders estimates about four weeks for a first au pair permit before examination starts; the visa follows.
Work
Light household tasks of at most 4 hours a day and 20 hours a week; no other employment.
Path to permanent residence
No. The stay is temporary and limited to one year.
Where to apply
The host family applies to the region; the au pair applies for the D visa through Visa on Web at the Belgian mission responsible for their country of residence.

Obligations of the host family

The family must have at least one child under 13, provide day care for children under 6, submit a criminal record extract for every adult member, pay at least EUR 450 a month, take out insurance for medical, pharmaceutical and hospital costs and repatriation, provide a private room, give at least one full day off a week, and respect the au pair's religion or beliefs. Household tasks must stay secondary to cultural exchange.

Conditions for the au pair

Under the Flemish rules the au pair must be at least 18 and under 26 when the permit is granted and when the placement starts, must not take any other job, needs a diploma giving access to higher education or proof of schooling until 17, must know the host family's language or commit to an intensive language course on arrival, must attend courses at a recognised institution and send proof each term, and must never have held a Belgian work permit before, except for one renewal as au pair within the one-year limit.

Two-stage procedure

The family applies to the competent region with a signed placement agreement, a weekly schedule, proof of the au pair's schooling and language course enrolment, the family composition certificate, criminal records and insurance proof; in Flanders the file is e-mailed as a single PDF. After the region grants the work permit, the family sends it to the au pair, who applies for the D visa with the permit, a criminal record and a medical certificate, and pays the contribution fee unless exempt.

  1. Agree the placement with a host family and sign the official placement agreement.
  2. Send the family your passport copy, diploma, language course proof and translations.
  3. The family files the work permit application with the region and receives the permit through its municipality.
  4. Pay the contribution fee if not exempt, complete the D visa form on Visa on Web and attend the competent Belgian mission or its service provider with the original permit.
  5. Travel and register with the municipality within eight days.

After arrival in Belgium

Report to the municipality of your place of residence within eight days of arrival to register in the foreigners' register. After a positive residence check (a local officer verifies that you live at the address) you receive an A card limited to the placement, for one year at most. Book the municipal appointment early, as waiting times can be long.

Refusal and appeal

Refusals by the Immigration Office can be challenged before the Council for Alien Law Litigation (CCE/RvV), as a rule within 30 days of notification, by the person concerned or their lawyer. Decisions of the regional employment authority on the work component have their own appeal route stated in the decision. A new application with the missing evidence is also possible.

Documents

Required documents

Identity

  • Visa on Web long-stay (D) application form, printed and signed
  • Criminal record extract issued within six months, apostilled or legalised depending on the issuing country, with sworn translation if not in Dutch, French, German or English

Travel

  • Valid passport and copy of the data page

Money

  • Proof of payment of the Immigration Office contribution fee (bank transfer with name, nationality and date of birth in the reference), unless exempt

Work

  • Original work permit issued to the host family by the region
  • Placement agreement signed by the au pair and the family

Study

  • Diploma giving access to higher education, or proof of schooling until age 17, translated into Dutch, French, German or English
  • Proof of enrolment in a language course at a recognised Belgian institution

Other

  • Medical certificate on the official Belgian form, issued within six months by a doctor accredited by the Belgian mission (otherwise with legalised signature), in Dutch, French or English

Frequently asked questions

Can I be an au pair in Belgium at 26?

No. You must be under 26 when the permit is granted and when the placement starts.

How much pocket money does an au pair receive?

At least EUR 450 per month, paid into the au pair's account, also in inactive periods.

Can I extend after one year?

No. The total period cannot exceed one year, and a person who already held a Belgian work permit cannot start a new au pair stay.

Do Turkish au pairs pay the EUR 242 contribution fee?

Turkish nationals who are beneficiaries of the EEC–Turkey Association Agreement are exempt from this fee category; check with the Belgian mission whether you qualify before paying.

Official sources

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.

Other visa types for Belgium

Visits and short stays

  • Tourist visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Family and friends visit visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Transit visa Maximum stay: Transit only: the days needed to cross the Schengen area to the next destination
  • Medical treatment visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area
  • Culture, sports and events visa Maximum stay: Up to 90 days in any rolling 180-day period across the Schengen area

Business and self-employment

Study and training

  • Student visa Maximum stay: Residence for the length of studies, renewed yearly
  • Researcher visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the research project
  • Internship and trainee visa Maximum stay: Up to six months, renewable once, in the Flemish "trainee in or after training" category

Work

  • Work visa Maximum stay: Tied to the employment contract; Flanders can grant up to three years at once for highly skilled workers
  • EU Blue Card Maximum stay: For the contract period; after 24 months of Blue Card employment a three-year card is issued
  • Intra-company transfer visa Maximum stay: For the duration of the transfer authorised by the region
  • Seasonal work visa Maximum stay: 150 days within any 365-day period
  • Job seeker visa Maximum stay: Up to 12 months

Family

Residence

Protection

  • Asylum and international protection Maximum stay: Right to stay during the procedure; recognised refugees and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection receive residence permits

Belgium visa guide