Why apply for a Canada Super Visa (Parent Super Visa)?

• Stay for 5 years per visit
• Multiple entry over 10 years
• 80% of the visa approval rate
• Get a visa within 2-6 months

A super visa is a multiple-entry visa specifically for the parents and grandparents of PR holders and Canadian citizens. Super visa holders can visit and stay in Canada for up to five years without needing to renew their status.

What is a Canada Super Visa?

A super visa allows you to visit your children and grandchildren for five years at a time. It is a type of multiple-entry, temporary residence visa that comes with a validity of ten years. The visa can be extended for 2-years from within Canada. The legal immigration status of parents and grandparents visiting their family in Canada will be that of a visitor. The application intake for the super visa will be held throughout the year, similar to that of the Parents and Grandparents program (PGP). With a Canada Super visa, parents and grandparents can freely travel from Canada to their country of nationality without re-applying for the Temporary resident visa. IRCC will issue an official letter to super visa holders, which will authorize their visit to Canada for up to two years at the initial entry.

Comparison: Super Visa vs. Visit Visa

Canada super visa is a visitor visa exclusively for parents and grandparents. The table given below has the list of differences between a Canada Super Visa vs. Visit Visa:

Benefits of choosing the Super Visa over the Visit Visa

Some of the benefits of choosing a Super visa over other visas:

• A super visa is valid for 10 years without needing to be renewed, while a visit visa is only valid for two years.
• Candidates with a super visa can stay in Canada for up to 5 years, while a visit visa lets you stay for six months.
• The super visa is only open for parents and grandparents, making the process more streamlined.
• Super visa is a multiple-entry visa allowing the candidates to travel to and from the country freely
• The super visa can also be extended if you wish to extend your stay in the country

Parents Super Visa Canada Document Checklist

To qualify for a Canada super visa, your sponsor must be:

• A child or grandchild

• A citizen of Canada or a PR holder with proof of:

• The citizenship document of the host
• PR document of the host
• Secure Certificate of Indian Status or Certificate of Indian Status (status card)
• Must be 18 years of age
• Must be residing in Canada
• Must meet the income requirements
• Letter of invitation 

Income thresholds and proof of funds

As proof of sufficient funds, one must submit the following documents:

• Copy of the Notice of Assessment
• Copy of T4 or T1 from the employer
• Offer letter with details of job description, salary, and job title
• Pay slips
• Provide proof of sources of income like investments, pensions, etc.

The minimum amount of funds required to immigrate to Canada depends on the number of family members. The sponsor must fulfill the following income requirements mentioned in the table below:

Medical and Police Clearance Requirements

The complete lists of medical requirements that are to be submitted by the sponsor are as follows:

Must have a valid medical insurance policy from:

• An IRCC-approved insurance company outside Canada
• Canada-based insurance company

The medical insurance policy must:

• Have a validity of 12 months starting from the entry date
• Must be paid in installments or total with a prior deposit
• Must cover repatriation, hospitalization, and healthcare
• Must cover a minimum of $100,000 of the emergency coverage

Note: The border services officer may request proof of paid insurance at entry.

Relationship criteria for Canada Super Visa 

You can sponsor the parents and grandparents to apply for a Canada super visa if:

• You are a child or grandchild of the visa applicant
• You are a citizen of Canada or a PR holder

You can prove the above factor with copies of any of the below documents:

• Citizenship document
• PR document
• Indian status card

As proof of your relationship with the sponsor, you must submit:

• Copy of the sponsor’s baptismal or birth certificate
• Legal document that proves you are the parent or grandparent of the sponsor

Note: Dependents cannot be included in the application. 

Canada Parents Super Visa Requirements

Documentation is needed from the applicant and sponsor. The checklists of documents that are to be fulfilled by the applicant are:

• An invitation from your sponsor (child or grandchild)

A Super visa application is incomplete without a letter of Invitation from the Canadian sponsor.  The letter of Invitation from a child's grandchild must include the following details:

• Date of birth
• Full name
• Complete address
• Contact number
• Proof of relationship with the sponsor
• Purpose of your trip
• Details of the duration of stay in the country
• Information on the duration of stay in the country
• Proof of accommodation during your stay
• Medical certificate
• Valid health insurance with a minimum of 12 months of coverage

The checklists of documents that are to be fulfilled by the sponsor are:

• Must be 18 years or older
• Be a Canadian citizen or PR holder
• Fulfill the income requirements
• Letter from the employer with job title, job description, and salary details
• Proof of bank statements

Proof of relationship and financial support

Your relationship with the sponsor (parents or grandchildren) can be proven by submitting the following:

• Birth certificate or baptismal certificate of the sponsor
• Official documents stating your relationship with the sponsor

The sponsor (child or grandchild) must fulfill the minimum income requirement threshold known as the low-income cut-off (LICO). Statistics Canada annually updates the LICO. You can submit the following checklist documents as proof of income requirements. 

• Notice of Assessment (NOA)
• T4 or T1 of last year’s tax
• Pay slips for the recent 12 months
• Statements of employment insurance benefits
• Confirmation letter from an accountant verifying the annual income
• Proof of any additional income sources

Medical insurance requirements (minimum coverage, duration, recognized providers)

The medical insurance policy that you possess must meet the criteria below:

• Validity of at least 12 months
• Have paid the total amount or a deposit in installments
• It covers repatriation, hospitalization charges, and healthcare
• Offers a coverage of at least $100,000
• It is valid each time you enter the country
• Should be available for review by a Canadian official at the port of entry

How to apply for a Canada Super Visa? 

Super visa applicants can apply for the visa online and offline, but they must be outside the country when applying.

Submit your Canada Super Visa through online process

Step 1: Receive an invite code

You must receive an invite code to create your IRCC account for the first time. 

Step 2: Create an online account

The next step would be to create an account online and sign into it.

Step 3: Complete the form and submit the documents

Fill in the online application form and upload the required documents for a Canada super visa

Step 4: Pay the required fee

Pay the required application fee for the Super visa. The visa fees can be paid via prepaid cards and credit cards.

Step 5: Await the visa status

Once the fee payment is completed, you can wait for the status of your Super visa.  

Submit your Canada Super Visa through the offline process 

The Super visa applications are usually applied for online, with only online applications being accepted and processed. However, one can apply via paper if they fall under any of the two criteria given below:

• You are unable to apply online because of a disability (or)
• You are traveling with a travel or identity document that was  issued to a stateless person, refugee or non-citizen

You can apply offline or via paper by following the steps given below:

Step 1: Check if you are eligible to apply online
Step 2: Arrange the required documents for the Super visa 
Step 3: Pay the application fees
Step 4: Submit the application form
Step 5: Wait for the status of your visa

Detailed guide to filling out the application forms

The Canada super visa application can be completed via two different application modes. You can apply online for the super visa by following the above directions, while offline applications can be submitted via paper for candidates with certain exemptions.

Super Visa Letter of Invitation from your Child or Grandchild

Super visa applicants are required to submit a letter of invitation. The sponsor (child or grandchild) in Canada must sign and write an invitation letter. The letter can be co-signed by a qualifying spouse or common-law partner of the sponsor to meet the minimum income requirements.

The letter of invitation, along with supporting documents, must include the following:

• A promise to financially support the super visa applicant throughout their stay in the country
• A complete list of family members to assess if the sponsor meets the minimum required income

What should be included in a Letter of Invitation?

The checklist of documents that are to be included while writing a Letter of Invitation is as follows:

Details of the Super visa applicant:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Complete residential address
• Contact details like phone number
• Proof of your relationship with the applicant
• Purpose of the trip
• Duration of your stay in the country
• Proof of residence of the applicant along with roof of funds
• When the applicant plans to exit the country

Details of the sponsor:

• Complete name
• Date of birth
• Address and contact details like phone number
• Job role & title
• Complete details of the family, like names and date of birth of spouse and dependents
• Proof that you are a Canadian citizen or PR
• Documents to support your status in the country:
• Birth certificate in Canada: if you are born there
• Citizenship card if you are a naturalized citizen
• Copy of PR card or IMM 1000
• Indian status card or Certificate of Indian Status

Canada Super Visa Processing Time

The application process for a Canada super visa is similar to that of a Temporary Graduate visa (TGV). Once submitted, the application is examined by the officials to check if it includes all the required documents. An incomplete application will most likely be rejected or refused. You may also be asked to:

• Attend an interview with one of the officials
• Send other additional information
• Get a medical examination
• Get a police clearance certificate

Most super visa applications are processed within a few months or even before that, depending on the visa office and the submission of requirements, along with other factors.

Approved applicants receive a letter with instructions for submitting their passports to receive a visa. If you belong to a visa-exempt country, you will be issued a letter to hand to the border services officer when you enter the country.

How to check the status of a Canada Super Visa?

The average processing time for a Canada super visa can take around 4-6 months.

Depending on how you apply for the visa, you can check the status of your super visa application using any of the three methods given below.

If you have applied through the IRCC secure account:

Step 1: Sign in to your IRCC account
Step 2: Click on “Check status and messages” under the “View my submitted applications or profiles.” section.

*Note: For a detailed breakdown of the events in your application, you may be required to open a different account with a unique client identifier (UCI) and application number via the Application Status Tracker.

If you have applied through the IRCC portal:

Step 1: Sign in to your IRCC account
Step 2: Check the status of your visa

*Note: For a detailed breakdown of the events in your application, you may be required to open a different account with a unique client identifier (UCI) and application number via the Application Status Tracker.

If you applied offline via paper:

If you have applied offline, the first step is to link your paper application to the IRCC account so you can check your status.

Step 1: Link your paper application to the IRCC secure account

(Sort out all the emails received related to your application along with the identification numbers)

Step 2: Check the updated status of your application

You can find the following list in your account:

• Application status
• Application-related emails and messages
• Any requests from the officials regarding additional documents or other information

Canada Super Visa Cost

The application cost for a Canada super visa is $100, with a biometric fee of $85. The table below has a complete breakdown of all the costs for a Super visa:
 

Can Visa-Exempt Visitors apply for a Super Visa?

Individuals from certain countries that do not require a visitor visa to travel to Canada are also known as visa-exempt visitors. Visa-exempt visitors can stay in Canada for six months without renewing their status. However, parents and grandparents from visa-exempt countries can still apply for a Super visa to be eligible to stay in the country for up to 5 years at a time. The application process for visa-exempt parents and grandparents will be the same as the regular Super visa application process. Visitors from visa-exempt countries who travel to Canada by air must apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA).

Can I extend my Canada Super Visa?

Yes, you can extend your stay with a Canada Super Visa. The application for extending your application can be submitted no more than 30 days before the expiry of the current visa status. Suppose the current visa expires while your extension application is being processed. In that case, you can stay in Canada until a decision is made, which can be known as implied status.

Documentation needed for extensions

The checklist of documents required to extend your Canada super visa:

• A copy of your residential permit
• A copy of your passport
• A copy of the visa application
• Copy of bank statements
• Copy of visa application and passport of parents
• Police verification certificate
• Notarized lease agreement & C Form