Au-Pair Health Insurance for Germany from €21 / Month

Reviewed by Steffan Grund, insurance specialist for foreign residents in Germany · Last reviewed 2026-04-20

Sources: BAMF au-pair guideline · § 12 BeschV · § 5 AufenthG · EU Regulation 810/2009 Art. 15 · HanseMerkur AVB 2024 · Care Concept AG

No insurance certificate — no au-pair visa, no host-family contract. Au-pairs in Germany (and the wider DACH region — Austria, Switzerland) up to age 35 need a German-recognised health insurance proof before the visa appointment, before arrival, and on the host-family agreement.

For au-pairs the standard private path is Care Au-Pair from €21/month (Si tier; ages up to 35; 1–24 months). Most German host families ask for the M tier (no deductible, with private liability) or the XL tier (M plus accident insurance) — full tier prices are in the table below. Both are typically accepted by the German embassy under EU 810/2009 Art. 15 and by the Ausländerbehörde under § 5 AufenthG.

Below we explain which tier most host families request and how the embassy verifies the certificate. The visitor bridge after the au-pair year is Care Economy. The follow-on language-course route after the au-pair year is Care College — but note: Care College is NOT for the au-pair stay itself; au-pairs always use Care Au-Pair.

One wrong insurance choice can cost you money, time and your application deadline

A medical incident can become expensive fast — but the wrong certificate can also delay your visa, enrollment, residence permit or work start.

• Wrong or incomplete proof can delay your visa, enrollment or authority process.
• Cheap home-country policies may miss the exact coverage, dates or repatriation wording required.
• The cheapest policy can become expensive if it is the wrong proof for your situation.

Before you apply, check: coverage amount, validity dates, destination area and repatriation cover.

Why act before your residence documents are due

Long-stay proof can become urgent during visa, residence permit, project or relocation steps. Short visitor cover may not be enough.

Recommended au-pair health insurance — by case

Care Au-Pair — all prices by tier

Quick answer: Care Au-Pair — the dedicated private Incoming tariff for au-pairs in Germany, Austria and Switzerland — runs from €21/month (Si tier, €50/case deductible) up to €43/month (XL with private liability AND accident cover). Term 1–24 months, entry age up to 35. The PDF certificate is typically accepted by German embassies and the Ausländerbehörde for the au-pair visa.

Au-pair visa Germany — step-by-step

The au-pair visa for Germany is granted under § 12 BeschV (German Employment Ordinance) together with § 5 AufenthG (Residence Act). In short: you need a signed host-family contract that follows the BAMF au-pair guideline, basic German (A1 level recommended, not strictly required), and a health-insurance certificate that covers the full stay — including hospital care, repatriation, and ideally private liability and accident cover.

How to apply for the au-pair visa in Germany:

1. Match with a host family and sign the BAMF-style au-pair contract (max 30 h/week, 4 weeks paid holiday, 280 €/month pocket money, 50 €/month German class subsidy).
2. Buy Care Au-Pair — the M tier (€35/month) or XL (€43/month) is what most host families ask for, because liability cover is included.
3. Book the visa interview at the German embassy or consulate in your country and bring the contract, the PDF insurance certificate, your passport, photos, and the visa fee (~€75).
4. After arrival in Germany: register at the local town hall (Anmeldung, within 14 days), then convert the entry visa into the au-pair residence permit at the Ausländerbehörde.

The au-pair residence permit is granted for up to 12 months and is typically not extendable as an au-pair. Most former au-pairs continue on a language-course (Sprachkurs / Studienkolleg), apprenticeship or student visa afterwards.

Au-pair requirements in Germany — the checklist

The German au-pair programme has a tight set of legal and practical requirements. They come from the BAMF au-pair guideline and § 12 BeschV, and host families check them line by line before signing the contract.

• Age: 18–26 years (non-EU); EU/EEA citizens up to age 35.
• Language: basic German (A1) — no certificate required, but B1 helps in the embassy interview.
• Family status: single, no own children, no spouse joining.
• Contract: written BAMF-style au-pair contract, 6–12 months.
• Working hours: max 30 hours/week, max 6 hours/day.
• Free time: at least 1 full day off per week, 4 Sundays free/month.
• Holiday: 4 weeks paid holiday per 12-month stay.
• Pocket money: minimum 280 €/month (often more in Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt).
• Language course: host family pays up to 50 €/month toward a German Sprachkurs.
• Insurance: health + accident + private liability — host family pays, typically via Care Au-Pair M or XL.

Cost of an au-pair year in Germany — who pays what

One of the most common questions in the German au-pair scene is who carries which cost. Under the standard BAMF contract the split is clear: the host family covers living, transport and insurance; the au-pair covers the journey to Germany and personal expenses.

Over a full 12-month au-pair year a host family's insurance line item is roughly €420 (M tier) or €516 (XL tier) — a small share of the total au-pair budget, but the one item the Ausländerbehörde and embassy actually verify on paper.

How much does an au pair cost in Germany (2026)?

The all-in monthly host-family budget for an au pair in Germany sits between €700 and €800. The biggest items are pocket money and food/board; insurance is the smallest line — but the only one the German embassy and the Ausländerbehörde actually verify on paper. Numbers below mirror the BAMF au-pair guideline and the typical 2026 cost basket.

Total host-family cost: typically €700–€800 / month for the full au-pair package. Au-pair pocket money in Germany is fixed at €280 / month under the BAMF model contract — many host families in Munich, Hamburg or Frankfurt pay more (€300–€350). The insurance line is the only legally verified item.

After your au-pair year — visa change options to stay in Germany

The au-pair residence permit under § 12 BeschV is granted for up to 12 months and is typically not extendable as an au-pair. But most former au-pairs do stay in Germany — under a different residence title. The three most common paths, with the matching follow-on insurance:

Every visa switch needs a fresh insurance certificate matching the new residence title — Care Au-Pair ends with the au-pair permit and does not roll over automatically.

Native English-speaking au-pairs in Germany (US, UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Canada, South Africa)

Yes — Americans, British, Irish, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian and South African passport holders can be au-pairs in Germany. German host families actively look for native English speakers because the au-pair year doubles as English childcare. Visa-wise nothing changes: the BAMF au-pair guideline and § 12 BeschV apply to every nationality, and the same Care Au-Pair certificate is typically accepted by German embassies worldwide, subject to officer review.

• USA, Canada, Australia, NZ, South Africa, Japan, Korea, Israel: visa-on-entry — you can fly to Germany visa-free and apply for the au-pair residence permit at the local Ausländerbehörde within 90 days. The Care Au-Pair PDF certificate is required at the appointment.
• UK and Ireland: post-Brexit, UK nationals follow the same non-EU au-pair process; Irish citizens enter visa-free as EU citizens with the extended age limit up to 35.
• EU/EEA citizens (Ireland, Malta, Cyprus): no visa needed — just the host-family contract and the insurance certificate; age limit extends to 35 instead of 26.
• Practical: most US, UK, Australian and Canadian au-pairs already speak some German (high school / Goethe A1) — German host families typically value B1 in cities like Berlin, Munich and Hamburg, and the host family covers up to €70 / month of the Sprachkurs.

Care Au-Pair is open to every passport — Si, M and XL tiers cost the same regardless of nationality, and the certificate is in German + English so US, UK, Irish, Australian, NZ, Canadian and South African embassies and the local Ausländerbehörde can verify it without translation.

Where au-pairs come from — country-specific notes

Care Au-Pair is open to applicants from every nationality, but the visa process differs by country of origin. A few practical notes for the most common au-pair source countries — always confirm the current rules with the responsible German mission in your country.

• Philippines: au-pair file processed via POEA + German embassy in Manila; B1 German strongly recommended in practice.
• Colombia, Brazil, Mexico: National D-visa via the German embassy in Bogotá, São Paulo or Mexico City; A1 German is the practical entry level.
• Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova: simplified routes for some nationalities; insurance proof and contract still required.
• South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria: file via the German missions in Pretoria, Nairobi or Abuja; allow 8–12 weeks lead time.
• Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand: au-pair visa is granted but rarer; embassies pay extra attention to the host-family contract and insurance certificate.
• EU/EEA citizens (Spain, Italy, Poland, Romania): no visa needed — just the insurance certificate and the standard host-family contract; age limit extends to 35.

None of these routes change the insurance side: the same Care Au-Pair certificate is typically accepted across all German missions and at every German Ausländerbehörde.

Frequently Asked Questions

Deep-dive guides for au-pairs in Germany

• Au-pair insurance cost in Germany 2026 — €21 to €43/month — host family cost au pair breakdown, pocket money au pair Germany 280, au pair language course allowance, BAMF au pair guideline.
• Au pair to student visa Germany — stay in Germany after au pair — § 12 BeschV au pair limits, au pair extension Germany, switch to § 16a / § 16b / § 20 AufenthG.
• Deutsch: Au-pair Versicherung Kostenvergleich
• Deutsch: Au-pair Visum verlängern in Deutschland
• Deutsch: Au-pair Gastfamilie Kosten Deutschland