Super Visa

Extend family visits with a Super Visa, allowing your parents or grandparents to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time.

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Are you a parent or grandparent who longs to visit your children or grandchildren in Canada and spend quality time with your loved ones? The Super Visa allows you to visit for up to 5 years and is valid for multiple entries over up to 10 years.

What is a Super Visa?

The Super Visa is a Canadian visa designed for parents and grandparents. It offers the flexibility of staying for up to 5 years.

To qualify for a Super Visa, you must meet specific requirements:

  • Renew or maintain your health insurance while in Canada and on re-entry.
  • Ensure your passport is valid throughout your stay in Canada.
  • If your intended visit is for 6 months or less, you should apply for a regular visitor visa.

 

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for a Super Visa, you must have a host who meets the following criteria:

  • Your host must be your child or grandchild.
  • They should be a Canadian citizen, permanent residents of Canada, or registered Indians (Proof of their citizenship or permanent residency is required).
  • The host must be at least 18 years old and residing in Canada.
  • They need to meet or exceed the minimum necessary income to support your visit.
  • Your host must sign an invitation letter, committing to provide financial support for the duration of your stay.
  • In some cases, your child or grandchild’s spouse or common-law partner can co-sign the invitation letter if they are a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

 

Additionally, you should:

  • Be outside Canada when you submit your Super Visa application.
  • Have your visa printed by a visa office outside Canada, following the provided instructions.
  • Be allowed to enter Canada.
  • Undergo an immigration medical exam.
  • You cannot include dependents in this application.

 

Health Insurance

You must provide proof of a health insurance policy from either:

  • A Canadian insurance company.
  • An insurance company outside Canada that is approved by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

 

Your health insurance policy should:

  • Be valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry.
  • Be fully paid or paid in installments with a deposit (quotes aren’t accepted).
  • Cover health care, hospitalization, and repatriation.
  • Provide a minimum of $100,000 of emergency coverage.

If you don’t require a visitor visa to enter Canada, you can apply for a Super Visa to enjoy an extended stay. If your application is approved, you’ll receive a letter to present to a border services officer upon arrival in Canada.

For air travel, you may also need to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA) separately, which allows you to enter Canada (the eTA will be electronically linked to your passport).

Frequently Asked Questions

A Super Visa allows your parents or grandparents to stay in Canada for up to 5 years.

 

As of July 4, 2022, the Super Visa has been subject to changes:

  • Extended Stay: Super Visa holders can now stay in Canada for up to five consecutive years on their initial visit without needing to renew their status.
  • Multiple Entries: The Super Visa remains valid for up to 10 years, allowing for multiple entries into Canada.
  • Additional Stay: For those with existing Super Visas, an extension of two years may be possible, potentially allowing for a total stay of up to seven years on a single visit.

No, a Super Visa cannot be converted to permanent residency; it’s a temporary status and does not provide a way to permanent residency.

To sponsor a parent or grandparent for a Super Visa, Canadian citizens or permanent residents must meet a minimum income requirement (subject to change and based on Statistics Canada Low Income Cutoff (LICO) for 2024):

Size of Family UnitMinimum necessary gross income
1 person (your child or grandchild)$29,380
2 persons$36,576
3 persons$44,966
4 persons$54,594
5 persons$61,920
6 persons$69,834
7 persons$77,750
More than 7 persons, for each additional person, add$7,916

The common proofs of relationship for super visa are: 

  • Birth Certificate
  • Marriage Certificate
  • Adoption documents
  • Custody documents
  • Family photos

No, you can’t apply for a Super Visa for your spouse. The Super Visa is specifically designed for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Instead, you can apply for a Spousal Sponsorship Visa.

Do you meet the requirements for a Super Visa?

Connect with Segue Immigration to know more about the Super Visa. Our expert immigration consultants will help you with the process.