What is Super Visa in Canada?
A super visa lets you visit your children or grandchildren for up to 5 years at a time. It’s a visa that provides multiple entries for a period up to 10 years. When you enter Canada, a border services officer will confirm how long you can stay. There are specific requirements including the need for medical insurance. You must meet all the criteria to be eligible, including the minimum necessary income requirement for your family size and location in Canada. If you want to stay for 6 months or less, apply for a visitor visa.
The current minimum income requirements are detailed on our article: Canada Super Visa Changes
How to be Eligible for the Super Visa?
To be eligible for a super visa, you must
- be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada
- have a signed letter from your child or grandchild who invites you to Canada that includes
- a promise of financial support for the length of your visit
- the list and number of people in the household of this person
- a copy of this person’s Canadian citizenship or permanent resident document
- have proof of private medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company
- This medical insurance needs to
- be paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit (quotes aren’t accepted)
- be valid for at least 1 year from the date you’ll enter Canada
- cover your health care, hospitalization and repatriation
- provide for at least $100,000 emergency coverage
Note: Private health insurance must be valid for each entry to Canada. Be prepared to show your proof of paid insurance to a border services officer if they ask to see it when you enter Canada. You must also:
Eligible parents and grandparents can submit their super visa application from outside Canada. Certain requirements must be met:
- have your visa printed outside Canada (wait for visa office instructions)
- be allowed to enter Canada
- take an immigration medical exam
- meet certain other conditions
- You can’t include dependants in this application to visit Canada.
Financial support (proof of funds) low income cut off (LICO) minimum for super visa
The child or grandchild who invites you must prove that their household meets the minimum necessary income (low income cut off (LICO)). The following documents are examples of what can be used as proof of funds:
- Notice of Assessment (NOA) or T4/T1 for the most recent tax year
- Employment Insurance Benefit statements
- employment letter including salary, job title, job description, and date of hiring
- pay stubs
- bank statements
Other conditions
Immigration Canada considers several things before it decides if you can come to Canada. You must be a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end of your visit. We’ll look at these things when you apply:
- your ties to your home country
- the purpose of your visit
- your family and finances
- the overall economic and political stability of your home country
Super Visa offers many Benefits
It offers many Benefits to both the parents and grandparents who are visiting and the Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are sponsoring them. For the parents and grandparents, it allows them to stay in Canada for up to five years at a time. For the sponsors, it allows them to spend extended periods of time with their loved ones and helps to strengthen family ties.
So, if you are interested in bringing your parents or grandparents to Canada on a Super Visa, it is important to start the process as early as possible to allow enough time for the application to be processed. The process can be complex and may require the submission of various documents and forms, so it is recommended that you seek the assistance of a qualified Montreal immigration consultant to help guide you through the process.
Overall, this type of visa is a valuable option for those looking to bring their parents or grandparents to Canada for extended visits. It allows for extended time together as a family and offers the opportunity for parents and grandparents to experience all that Canada has to offer.
