Au Pair Resources

Emergencies

If you have a legal or serious medical problem, you should notify your Counselor. If your counselor is not available and you cannot wait for their return, you may call the 24 hour emergency service at 1-800-928-7247. If you need medical treatment and are unable to sign a consent form, Au Pair in America has a signed release on file for treatment (included as part of the agreement signed by you at the time of your application to the program).

Medical Assistance

If you are feeling ill, please err on the side of caution and do not wait to see a doctor.  You have insurance and depending on your insurance plan, can request reimbursement from your insurance company to help defray the costs.  Below is a list of medical facilities in our area that take First Health Network Insurance. The centers listed below do not require an appointment, so you can simply walk-in and wait to be seen. Please take your CISI First Network Health insurance card, your DC Driver’s License and your APIA ID card.  After you are treated  YOU MUST ask for discharge papers explaining what you were seen for and a receipt showing what you paid (for instance a co-pay). If the doctor prescribed medication, YOU MUST ask the doctor to give you a copy of the order he/she will submit to the pharmacy even if they say they will send it “through the system” you always want to have a copy for yourself and your records.  Keep the receipt of any medication from the pharmacy so you can fill out a form to request a reimbursement of the expenses.

Medical Reimbursement Form
Click here for the CISI Claim Form. If you have questions, please contact the insurance team at (800) 303-8120, prompt 5 or 203-399-5130 or email claimhelp@culturalinsurance.com

For more detailed information on you insurance plan, procedures and claims see http://www.aupairinamerica.com/resources/aupairs.asp


To find a list of Urgent Care Centers, preferred physicians, hospitals and medical centers in your neighborhood that accept your insurance, click on: 

  • If you arrived, or extended BEFORE January 1, 2019;  http://www.culturalinsurance.com/usprovidersearch/ and enter your zip code. If you show your insurance card to the provider and they say they do not take your insurance, immediately call your Insurance company at 203.399.5130 to verify if it is accurate.
  • If you arrived or extended AFTER January 1, 2019 click here and type in your zip code. Select “Passport to Healthcare Primary PPO Network” as you plan. 

As of October 2016, this urgent care center accepted your insurance:

As of October 2016, this pharmacy accepts your insurance BUT the CVS Minute Clinics does not accept it:

    • CVS Pharmacy Glover Park: 2226 Wisconsin Ave, NW Washington, DC 20007; Foggy Bottom: 2240 M Street, NW Washington, DC 20037; Palisades: 4859 MacArthur Blvd NW, Washington, DC; Tenleytown 4555 Wisconsin Ave, NW Washington, DC 20016.

Insurance for Extension Au Pairs

Any au pair who begins her extension term in 2018 will be covered under the terms of the 2018 plan of insurance.

Au pairs will continue to have full medical coverage provided by the Basic Plan. They will not have to pay any additional amount to continue the basic insurance coverage.

Au pairs who upgraded their insurance prior to arrival in the US must continue with the same upgrade (s) for the extension period, and will be required to pay an additional fee for this coverage. Please check the extension application for information on the cost of insurance upgrade packages for the extension term. In addition au pairs who originally came with the basic insurance, or purchased the medical upgrade insurance can purchase Sports Insurance in the United States for an additional $85. The sports insurance will cover medical treatment for injuries sustained while participating in certain sports such as skiing, ice skating, etc. Review the 2016 Plan of Insurance for a comprehensive list.

If you are a au pair in her extension year, you need to print out a new insurance card since the one they gave you at Orientation in NY only lasts one year. Go to or call CISI for assistance https://www.mycisi.com/CISIPortalWeb/pub/login.aspx?PT=GEN

Eye Exams for Glasses and Contacts

If you need to have your eyes checked in order to get new eye glasses or contacts, consider this local provider but note that they DO NOT take any insurance:

Premier Optometric Services, P.C./COSTCO, 1200 S. Fern Street, Arlington, VA 22202 (behind COSTCO in Arlington-walking distance from Pentagon City Metro) phone 703 413-4494; after hours 703 413-1701. Please call to make sure prices have not changed.  Eye Glass exam $65;  Contact Lens Exam $109-$129.

Dental Care

If you have the Basic Medical Insurance Plan you DO NOT have dental coverage.  If you have the Medical Upgrade or the Travel/Sports and Medical Upgrade you have $500 of emergency dental care for a sound natural tooth (a tooth that a dentist has never worked on before). For low-cost dental care in our area contact:

  • Howard University Department of Dentistry For Appointments call 202 806 0008
  • Dental Clinic at the Spanish Center of Catholic Charities For Appointments call 202 798 5546

Education Requirement

Au pairs are required to complete at least 6 academic credits (7.2 CEUs or between 72-80 classroom hours). You can register for:

  • course for credit (full participation, grades awarded)
  • non-credit courses (full participation, no final grade awarded)
  • audit courses (no grades given, class participation may be limited)
  • continuing education courses offered at an accredited post-secondary institution (college or university) for no credit or CEUs.

An extensive list of area schools and classes can be found by clicking on Au Pair Education Options

All education must be completed through an accredited US post-secondary institution. The school MUST be accredited otherwise it would not count toward your education requirement. If the school you like does not appear on this list provided above,  you must use this link to go to the US State Department website and check their accreditation.

Your host family will pay an education allowance of $500 to assist you in completing your education requirement. They will also provide transportation, including gasoline, parking, or public transportation costs to and from your classes until you complete your education requirement. There are a few ways to get your credits for just your education allowance, but your choices are limited. Normally au pairs will contribute some of their own money ($200-$500) towards their education.

Education During Your Extension

If an Au Pair extends her contract with APIA, the education requirements for second year are the same for standard au pairs: 6 month extension = 3 credits required and you will receive a $250 allowance from the Host Family. For a 9 or 12 month extension = 6 credits required and you will receive a $500 allowance from Host Family.

Social Security Card/Social Security Number

You can apply for your Social Security Card (SSC) four days after arriving in the US.

Our closest office is 1300 D St, SW, WDC 20024.  Use this link to confirm its hours of operation.

Your SS Number (SSN) Number is also considered to be your Tax Identification Number (Tax ID). When opening your bank account, give them your SSN.  If you open a bank account BEFORE getting your SS card in the mail you may later receive a letter from the bank asking for your Tax ID. Simply go back to the bank and give them your SSN.

Required documents: 

  • Application For a Social Security Card Form SS-5 (In box 5 for citizenship information, check off “Legal Alien Allowed To Work.”
  • Unexpired passport with visa
  • I-94 (you need to print this from the US Customs and Border Patrol website)
  • DS-2019 (given to you at Orientation)

Tip: When you get your SS card in the mail, keep the envelope.  Take the card and envelope with you when you apply for your DC Drivers License. It will likely be the first document issued by the US government with your name and new US address.

Drivers License and Identification Card from the DC Department of Motor Vehicles

Some au pairs will not need to drive in DC, so they can consider obtaining a Non-Driver Identification Card.   If you have lived in the District of Columbia for 30 days or more and you drive a vehicle in public, you must get a driver license from DC Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).  International Drivers Licenses are NOT valid in Washington, DC.

Our closest office is the Georgetown Service Center at 3222 M St, NW.

Among the documents you must take with you to apply for a DC license is an official translation into English of YOUR HOME COUNTRY DRIVERS LICENSE.  Ask your Embassy if they will do it for you (it usually involves a fee but it ranges in cost from embassy to embassy), if not use a certified translator.

Check for a translator from the National Capital Area Translators Association.

How to obtain a DC Driver License for Non-US Citizens

Even if you have been driving for a few years, it is wise to prepare for the computerized (non-driving) Knowledge Test that you will have to take at the DMV to get a license.  For information on Knowledge Tests.

Area Driving Schools

Travel Information

Travel Outside the US

As an au pair, you get a J-1 multiple entry visa in your passport, which allows you to travel outside the United States during your program year. If you plan a trip outside the U.S., you will need to send your original DS 2019 form and travel request form to the Connecticut office for a travel validation signature.  Follow the instructions on the form. Note: You only include the $15 if you want it sent back to you expedited with 2 day shipping. Otherwise, you just include a self address, self stamped envelope with your DS 2019 and information sheet.

http://www.aupairinamerica.com/pdf/travform.pdf

This should be done at least three weeks before a planned trip. When you travel, you must bring your signed DS 2019 and passport with you. You will need to show these documents to the Customs and Border Patrol Officer when you reenter the U.S. after a trip outside the U.S.

Visiting Canada

Medical Assistance When Traveling

Take your medical insurance card with you when traveling anywhere in the US and elsewhere in the world during your au pair year.  Your insurance covers you in every country EXCEPT in your home country.

Au Pair Departure Home

After APIA receives your flight request form (and travel month insurance, if applicable), you will receive an email confirmation. If you don’t receive this confirmation within three weeks of sending your request, please contact Stefanie Mulé immediately at smule@aifs.com.

You will receive an email with your flight itinerary no later than 4-5 weeks prior to departure.