Hi, My Au Pair is in NY on a J-1 Visa which expires on August 2013. However, the au pair program says she can only be extended for 2 years. She would like to stay for 4 years as an Au Pair or change her status to F-1, as a fulltime 4-year college student. Can she actually stay for as long as her J-1 visa is valid or should she change to an F-1 student visa? If so, does she need to travel back to her home country before INS changes her status or can she stay in the US? Thank you.

