A Super Visa allows parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to visit Canada for up to two years at a time. Certain conditions must be met by both the host (child or grandchild) and the applicants.
To be eligible, the host must be at least 18 years old and provide financial documents showing they meet the minimum necessary income, or MNI (a number based on family size, which is updated regularly on the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada website). An official letter of invitation must also be written which includes specifications about the applicants and a promise to support them financially, a description of living arrangements, purpose and length of the trip and other details.
The applicants must meet all admissibility requirements, including a medical exam, and purchase medical insurance (with at least $100,000 CAD coverage) valid for 1 year from the date of entry into Canada. Spouses may apply together, but other dependents may not be included. Although this visa is intended for extended stays in Canada, the reviewing officer must still be convinced that the applicants will leave at the end of the authorized stay. For this reason, it is crucial to provide all the right documents in your application to show ties to the home country. Parents and grandparents who wish to relocate to Canada permanently should apply under the Parent and Grandparent Program, but since that program has a limited number of spots each year and processing times are longer, they may still benefit from a Super Visa first. Our team can explain every option to you and help you make the best decision for your situation.
