Former Au Pair Wants a Student Visa
I am trying to help a friend who worked as an au pair in the U.S. for a 1-1/2 years and then returned to Germany about a year ago. Her au pair host family has offered her room and board and to help with her tuition costs. Here in Germany, her student visa application was refused on the grounds that she was going back to work, not to study. She was told to get a letter from the host family stating the terms of her stay, which she did. In it, they clearly stated that for the past 9 months, they have had no au pair, do not need one, and what their childcare arrangements would be, which did not involve their former au pair. She was denied again...after paying the $200 fee again and getting the letter they asked for!
What little legal research I have been able to do via Internet here is Germany seems to indicate that it is permissible for a student to live with a host family and perform certain au pair chores in exchange for room and board and tuition fees as long as the chores to do not exceed a certain limit. The family and my friend were not planning on her doing any chores, but now that I have seen this allowance, I am wondering if they improperly denied the visa, even if they think she will be doing a bit of work.
Any ideas out there on what to do next? Thank you in advance.
Re: Former Au Pair Wants a Student Visa
She has no right to receive a visa.
If the immigration officer suspects that the "room and board" claim is a deception, and that the actual idea is to work as a nanny / au pair equivalent while in the country under a student visa, it is within the immigration officer's discretion to deny the visa. The denial letter should indicate whether she can appeal the denial.