Super Visa

A wonderful program offered by Immigration Canada which gives a sigh of relief to the young permanent residents and Canadian citizens. Super Visa is a program specifically for the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Under this program, they can stay in visit and stay in Canada for up to 5 years (effective July 4, 2022) unlike visitor visa where a visitor can spend no more than 6 months inside the country. The facility comes with a few responsibilities on the applicant and the sponsors.

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 medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company that is:
• valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry
• at least $100,000 coverage
• have proof that the medical insurance has been paid (quotes aren’t accepted)

You must also:

• apply for a super visa from outside Canada
• be allowed to enter Canada
• take an immigration medical exam
• meet certain other conditions
• You can’t include dependents in this application.

Financial support (proof of funds):

The child or grandchild who invites you must prove that their household meets the minimum necessary income. 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 stubs
• employment letter including salary and date of hiring
• pay stubs
• bank statements

IRCC has just announced major reforms to the Parents and Grandparents Super Visa.

Effective July 4, 2022:

• The length of stay for Super Visa holders will be increased to five years per entry into Canada.
• People who currently have a Super Visa also have the option to request to extend their stay by up to two years while in Canada. This means current Super Visa holders will now be able to stay in Canada for up to seven consecutive years.
• Canada’s Immigration Minister will have the authority to designate international medical insurance companies to provide coverage to Super Visa applicants in the future.