To go to France as an au pair, you must be at least 18 years old but not more than 30. Applications for a long-stay visa should be submitted to the French embassy or consulate by the au pair for stays over 3 months. Au pair must have an employment contract with the host family called Accord de placement au pair d'un stagiaire aide familiale. The contract can be obtained and must be signed by a "Direction Departementale de la Main d'Oeuvre Etrangere". This employment contract must be approved and signed in France before forwarding to the aupair.