South African au pair - Visa

[stressed2007]

How do I go about helping a South African girl get a visa to come as an au pair? Is there a Home office number so I can speak to a real person to help edplain a way through all the red tape I keep finding? Thnaks

ok - it is stil early - this should read....real person to help explain a way through all the red tape I keep finding? Thanks

South Africa is not part of the Au Pair Scheme so looks like a non-starter - as they will need a Work Permit. Try contacting the UK Border Agency: Work Permits Customer Contact Centre on 0114 207 4074 - [email protected]

They can (could?) get a holiday maker visa. But I think this is being replaced by the new tier 5 scheme under which I believe South AFricans can no longer come here because they do not offer an equivalent program for British citizens.

thanks for the confirmation.

Check if she can get an ancestral visa. Yeah, looks like they are changing working holiday visa 9for under 30s) to the new tier system.

The new system has not come into effect yet. So she might be able to squeeze in at the last minute. Worth checking.

www.ukimmigration.com/family/working_holidaymaker_uk.htm

Here it says she could possibly get the working holiday visa? SA is part of the Commonwealth.

www.ukimmigration.com/family/working_holidaymaker_uk.htm

Not sure why the link isn't working! btwn maker and uk there is a ... makeruk.htm

www.ukimmigration.com/family/workingholidaymakeruk.htm