Most auto insurance companies will require that your au pair get a California Driver’s License within a few weeks of her arrival in order to drive your vehicles.

Please check with your own insurance company in order to understand their requirements.  Remember that your au pair is not an employee.  She is here on a J-1 Educational/Exchange Visa and you pay her a stipend while she lives in your home and cares for your children.  Step by step, here is the way to get a driver’s license:

1) As soon as possible, go to the Social Security office and order her card.  She will need the number in order to apply for the driver’s license.

The Thousand Oaks Social Security office is located at:

80 East Hillcrest Drive, Suite 200, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

2) Next your au pair will need to take the written Driver’s License test.  For helpful study materials, here is a link to the DMV website: :  http://www.dmv.ca.gov/

3) Finally, she/he needs to take the ‘behind the wheel’ test (after practicing with you in your vehicle, of course).  And voila!  She’ll have her California Driver’s License!

I recommend the following office because there is less waiting time & traffic in Thousand Oaks:

1810 E Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks, CA

SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS

As holders of the J-1 Visa, au pairs may receive a Social Security Card. Although the rules vary, Social Security cards are helpful and sometimes necessary in order to apply for Driver’s Licenses, Bank Accounts, and Classes at the Community College.

When au pairs enter the U.S. they are logged into the U.S. Department of State computer. This information should be available TWO WEEKS after an au pair’s entry into the country - so that’s a great time to go to the Social Security office and get your number. Make sure you bring all your paperwork to the office - Passport, DS2019, and Letter of Good Standing. The Letter of Good Standing can be found in the host family’s Extranet account. Following is a list of addresses for the various local Social Security Offices:Office Address:

SOCIAL SECURITY
SUITE 200
80 EAST HILLCREST DR
THOUSAND OAKS, CA 91360

Office Address:

SOCIAL SECURITY
9168 DE SOTO AVENUE
CHATSWORTH, CA 91311

Office Address:

SOCIAL SECURITY
SUITE 300
11500 W OLYMPIC BLVD
LOS ANGELES, CA 90064

LOCATED IN THE CITY NATIONAL BANK BLDG ON OLYMPIC AND COLBY AVE WEST OF THE 405 FREEWAY BETWEEN SAWTELLE AND BARRINGTON ON THIRD FLOOR

For More Information regarding Social Security:

http://www.ssa.gov/online/ss-5.html

Phone Numbers: