How to Apply for a Super Visa for Parents in Canada?

As many young people move to Canada every year and do so for an extended period, a Canadian visitor visa may be enough for all the parents and grandparents who would like to visit their loved ones every year. There is a dedicated visa if you have a child in Canada and you would like to see them regularly. It is called the Super Visa. So, how to apply for a super visa for parents in Canada?

Well, first things first, you will need to be able to pass all the eligibility criteria and all the requirements first. Then, you can make the application and be patient. Super Visa is indeed super, but you will need to be patient and wait around 150 days for the processing time, and this is only after you have submitted all the required documents. Every visa office can help you with the process, and so can this article, so leave that phone alone, and let’s go through the Super visa application process step-by-step.

What Is a Super Visa in Canada?

Whenever we have massive migrations, the question of family reunification arises. Nobody likes it, but it is so necessary: successful immigration means being able to keep contact with your family irrelevant of whether you are a permanent resident or a citizen of Canada. In Canada, with both of these, you will be able to travel outside, but what if you want your family to come and visit? Well, this is where the IRCC super visa comes into play: it allows your parents or grandparents to come and visit you for an extended period.

The Super Visa is issued to all eligible applicants (beware that there is a certain number of these visas that get issued every year, so apply early). This is a multiple-entry visa that allows you to enter and leave Canada whenever you like. This visa lasts for 10 years, which means that you (as a parent) or your parents will be able to enter and leave Canada as many times as you would like for 10 years. Each time you enter Canada, you will be able to stay for up to 5 years at a time.

This is what makes this visa so great. Once your visa status has been regulated and you have your multi-entry visa, you can visit Canada freely, and feel at home. There are some limitations to this visa as well, and some do find that the application process is strenuous. It is detailed and thorough, as Canada wants to keep its economy protected and its streets safe – which is one of the reasons why your child may have immigrated there in the first place.

Eligibility Criteria for Super Visa

As with every other type of visa, the Super Visa holders need to make sure they pass the eligibility criteria before making the application. This type of visa has very lax eligibility criteria, and you will need to make sure that you pass all of them – having a very high income threshold will not exempt you from your medical exam if need be. Here are the eligibility criteria for the super visa Canada:

• You need to have someone in Canada. This someone has to be your child or grandchild, not a good friend or a relative
• You need to be invited by the child. They will need to make a formal request, and they will have to prove that you can stay with them and that you will receive financial support from them
• Your child needs to meet some financial goals – they need to have a minimum income threshold to be able to support you during your stay in Canada without compromising their wellbeing
• You will need to undergo medical examination, especially if you have travelled to a high-risk area, or an area known to have a current outbreak of an epidemic
• You will also need to have Canadian-issued medical insurance for a full year. Canada has universal healthcare, but this does not mean that healthcare without insurance is cheap. It could cost tens of times over what you pay in your home country – for this reason, medical or health insurance is a must
• You may have to prove that you have a clean criminal record. Not having one will deem you inadmissible to Canada. When speaking of a criminal record, even a DUI is enough to deem you inadmissible, so make sure to stay within the legal limits at all times, especially when in Canada. Visas and PR can be revoked, especially if you have had misconduct on Canadian soil
• You will also need to show supporting documents that you may be asked to provide, or even documents showing the connections to your home country. When it comes to these connections, owning property, having bills to your name, healthcare insurance, contracts with phone/internet companies and garbage collection bills are good ideas, but the list goes on

In any case, you will need to show that you do not plan to permanently move to Canada. When it comes to moving, you will need to make a separate PR application, which is usually done through the Express Entry system. Additional services exist, but this is one of the fastest immigration services in the world. You should also bear in mind that the Super Visa is only issued to the parents and grandparents, while if you want to sponsor a child, you will need to use a different program – family sponsorship.

Super Visa Requirements in Canada

Super Visa Canada requirements are not too complex, but they are strict and can be exclusive, meaning that if you do not fulfill some of them, you will be considered ineligible. Besides the classic of not being able to pay the visa fees (so, no processing fees = no processing), the applicants should show that they are admissible to Canada, have sufficient funds to support themselves, and that the person they will be visiting is either a permanent resident or a citizen of Canada.

The Super Visa income requirement is definitely among the most important ones. This is because family members travelling to Canada need sufficient funds to be able to support themselves during their stay – and Canada is not cheap. To reduce the strain on its welfare system, the Canadian government has made it an essential requirement to have the following funds for a Super Visa:

Family Size	Minimum Income Threshold in CAD
1	26,620
2	33,140
3	40,743
4	49,466
5	56,104
6	63,276
7	70,449
per Additional Family Member	7,172

These are the most important requirements for the program. If you manage to fulfill this, you will be granted the Super Visa. The visa is issued for 10 years, and each time you come to Canada, you will be able to stay for 5 years. This is a great type of visa, regardless of the family size or the reason for the visit. If you need to stay longer, that is possible, too, but you can extend the visa for two years only. This being said elderly family members who want to go to Canada and visit their dearest can do so for a maximum uninterrupted period of 7 years. Barely any other visa can grant a visit this long.

How To Apply for a Super Visa in Canada

When applying for Super Visa Canada, you should understand that the process is two-fold. So, you will have to make an application for the Super Visa on your side, while your child or grandchild will have to prove their income level and send you a letter informing you that you will be supported during your stay in Canada. Alternatively to the letter, you can also submit your funds. For as long as any of the two parties has enough funds to support the arriving party, the application can proceed.

Besides the financial promise of support and the documents that should be collected, you should also bear in mind that you will need to have medical insurance of some sort. It has to be issued by a Canadian insurance company and it needs to be valid for an amount of CAD100,000 for you to be eligible for this kind of visa.

In a way, applying for the Super Visa is similar to applying for the TRV. When applying, the application is sent through the IRCC platform (Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada). There, visa officers will review your application and make sure that everything is in order. If you miss a document or two, they will inform you and you will have to submit the documents on the shortest possible notice. However, this will prolong the processing time, which is already almost 150 days – since nobody has the time for this kind of waiting, you should gather all the documents beforehand and submit them all at once.

Check Out How to Apply for a Super Visa Canada (Parents Super Visa Canada):

Prepare All Necessary Documents

When it comes to the document that you need to prepare, there is a handful of obligatory documents. For all others, such as supporting documents, documents proving your status in your home country, as well as connections to your home country, are very varied. Here is the document checklist that is universal across all Super Visa application centers:

• Letter of invitation – written by your family member in Canada, it should include the following details:
  • Details about the person you are inviting
    • full name (the first, the middle, the last name/family name, the initials if you use them, and all other appended names)
    • date of birth
    • address
    • phone number
    • your relationship with the person
    • the purpose of the trip
    • how long the person you are inviting will be staying in Canada for
    • where they will be staying (include the address and the names of the people already living there), who will be covering the cost of the rent, if applicable
    • when the person plans to leave Canada (make sure to specify the range of dates that they will be staying in Canada, so preferably, the date of entry and the date of leaving the country)
  • Details about you:
    • full name (the first, the middle, the last name/family name, the initials if you use them, and all other appended names)
    • date of birth
    • address
    • phone number in Canada (your phone number, specify if you have more, such as a cell phone and a landline phone; work phone is only acceptable if this is the only phone you have access to or if this is the phone you can be contacted on
    • job title
    • a statement confirming your legal status in Canada – remember only permanent residents or citizens can invite and sponsor someone’s arrival – the same is true of the Super Visa application, if you are a temporary resident, you cannot make the application
    • a document proving your legal status in Canada (one of the following is enough):
      • a Canadian birth certificate
      • Canadian citizenship card
      • a Canadian PR card (Permanent Resident card)
      • your IMM 1000 proof of landing
      • your SCIS (Secure Certificate of Indian Status)
      • your CIS (Certificate of Indian Status)
    • details on your family already living with you in Canada, including their names, dates of birth, as well as the number of people in your household
• Proof of medical insurance – only for the person being invited. The medical insurance has to be purchased from a Canadian insurance company and it needs to offer coverage of a minimum of CAD100,000. A copy of the insurance certificate is enough, and the insurance policy should be at least 1 year long.
• Proof that the Child or Grandchild meets Low Income Cut-Off minimum (LICO), you can submit one of the following documents:
  • a copy of the most recent notice of assessment
  • tax returns from the Canada Revenue Agency My Account online service
  • the child’s or the grandchild’s most recent T1 or T4 form
  • a letter from the employer stating the person’s job title, employment status, job description, and salary
  • employment insurance pay stubs, including the accountant’s statement on the child’s or grandchild’s income if they are self-employed or even proof of other sources of income (bonuses, dividends, investments, pension statements, etc.)
• Proof of Relationship – this can include the birth certificate, adoption certificate, or any other document naming the relationship between the person inviting and the person being invited
• Immigration medical exam – the medical exam itself has to be done by a physician authorized by the IRCC – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
• Travel history – copies of your current and old passports, the first page containing your identification details, passport number, your address, age, and the date of issue and the validity date of the passport, as well as copies of all the visas you got (especially old Canadian visas!), the entry and exit stamps, study and work permits abroad, etc.
• Itinerary – this is optional, but it may be a good idea to have this. The itinerary will provide additional details on your trip, and it can include plane tickets, bus tickets, ferry tickets, tickets to Canadian events, hotel bookings, etc.
• Account Statement – used to better understand your financial situation and to see if you can support yourself in Canada. When it comes to this document, you can sometimes use it if your child or grandchild in Canada does not pass the LICO standard and may not be able to fully support you during your stay in Canada. The document should include your bank name and contact number, proof that this is your account, account details spanning six months in the past from the date of your application (approximately), your balances, etc.
• Employer information – submitted in a letter form and containing the following information:
  • date, no older than 3 months before the date of your application for the Super Visa
  • the confirmation that you have a job with the employer
  • your full name
  • your date of birth
  • the date your work contract has started
  • current salary
  • the description of your job and your work duties
  • the contact information of your manager
  • the phone number of the company
  • the email address of your company
  • your employer information
  • company name
  • address
  • signature of the employer. If the company uses a stamp, it would be best to have one on the letter itself
• Your identity documents, all colour copies containing your details and identity information:
  • passport (all kinds: regular, official, or diplomatic,
  • alien passport for stateless persons
  • refugee passport
  • US Permit to Re-Enter (I-327)
  • US Refugee Travel Document (I-571)
• IMM 5409 – Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union – only if applicable
• IMM 5476 – Use of a Representative – only if applicable
• IMM 5475 – Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual – only if applicable
• IMM 5645 – Family Information
• Documents about minors that may travel with their parents or grandparents to visit their siblings in Canada, if travelling with 1 parent only – the Travel Authorization Letter, preferably stamped and verified by a Notary Public or an Attorney Office

Online Application

The Super Visa application is made online and on the IRCC website. What you will need to do is log in, enter your details, and start the application process for the Super Visa. When it comes to the application process, you will need to have gathered all the documents before the application itself. You will also need a means of online payment, either a debit or a credit card, and the fee that should be paid is CAD100. This does not include fees which you may have to pay in your own country, for all the documents that you will have to take out for the application process itself. You may also be asked to provide your biometrics in biometric enrolment services, which will cost CAD85, plus the costs of the trip to and from the collection center.

Here are all the expenses for a Super Visa in Canada:

Type of Expense/Fee	Amount in CAD
Super Visa	100
Biometrics Fee	85
Biometrics Fee for a Family	170
eTA (electronic Travel Authorization) per Person	7
Health Insurance per Person	800+
Other Expenses	Additional Documents You May Need – the cost depends on what your country charges to get the documents

Processing Time of a Super Visa in Canada

The Super Visa processing time is not short, so you will have to apply well before you plan your visit. A common piece of advice is that you apply at least 5-6 months before your planned trip, but sometimes even earlier is good, as it takes approximately 150 days for the processing of this kind of visa. Keep in mind that this is a short processing time, as the Express Entry program, the fastest of the kind has a processing time of around 6 months (180-190 days).

Benefits of Super Visa for Parents in Canada

Unlike the PGP program which aims to bring parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to Canada, the Super Visa program allows them to visit for extended periods. When it comes to these, it is important to note that the maximum single entry can last 5 years (up to 7, with a 2-year extension), which is a very long period, but the PGP program allows you to stay for an indefinite period.

Still, the Super Visa is a much better idea than the TRV visa, which would allow your parents or grandparents to stay for up to six months. The Super Visa also gives a lot of flexibility, as it supports stays that are much longer, and is always issued as a multiple-entry visa. The Visa documents checklist is also much shorter, as you already have/know someone in Canada. The temporary visit visa has an application procedure that is much more complex and may not result in an approved visit.

FAQs

What Is Covered in Super Visa Insurance?

When applying for the Super Visa, it is important to understand that you will need to purchase health insurance for the period you plan to spend in Canada. When it comes to this, the insurance will need to last at least a year and will need to cover healthcare expenses for up to CAD100,000. Different insurances cover different expenses, with some covering even dental work, so make sure to ask around and stay safe while in Canada.

How Much Does a Canadian Super Visa Cost?

The Canadian Super Visa is not expensive. For as little as CAD100, you can get the visa and be able to visit your loved ones multiple times during the ten years that the visa is issued. When it comes to the costs of application for a single person or application for family members, it is important to note that some expenses can be capped off – the biometrics fee is CAD85 for a sole applicant and CAD170 for an entire family.

How Much Income Is Required for a Super Visa?

How high your income should be for the Super Visa depends on how many family members you will need to bring to Canada with you. If only one person is visiting, you should be able to have an income of CAD26,620. Two family members may already need CAD33,140, while three will need to have CAD40,743. This being said it is good to have access to some extra cash, just in case, although this is the minimum dictated by the Canadian government.

Which Is Better Super Visa or a Visitor Visa?

The Visitor visa allows you to stay in Canada for six months, and it is issued for reasons of tourist nature, for those seeking quick business meetings, and for those who would like to travel through Canada simply. Regarding the Super Visa, this is a much better solution for those who have families in Canada, those seeking longer visits, and those who would like to stay and live with their families for a longer time.

Can You Apply for a Super Visa on Behalf of Your Parents?

Normally, the parents or grandparents should apply for the Super Visa by themselves. However, this should not say that you cannot be involved as well: you can act as their representative, and you can apply on their behalf in this case. In addition to this, it could be possible to apply instead of them, or assist them, if they have difficulties using computers, or if they have difficulties accessing the Internet from where they are at.

Final Thoughts

The Super Visa is a great type of visa. It allows you to travel to Canada for prolonged periods, and it even allows you to have multiple entries to Canada. When it comes to this visa, it is important to note that it is issued for ten years, which should grant many visits to your loved ones and many visits to this beautiful country. Our guide is supposed to make the application process a breeze, and it is supposed to keep you informed so that you can see what type of visa is the best for you.