Tips for Applying for the Super Visa for Your Parents and Grandparents

2.5 minute read

"Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offer a Super Visa for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to stay in Canada for an extended period up to two years. It is also a multi-entry visa that is valid for a maximum of 10 years."

Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on: Oct 16, 2021

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) offer a Super Visa for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to stay in Canada for an extended period up to two years. It is also a multi-entry visa that is valid for a maximum of 10 years. So they can re-enter Canada multiple times over 10 years to stay in Canada for up to 2 years at a time without requiring an extension.

Who Is the Super Visa for?

Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to visit Canada temporarily can apply for the Super Visa. They can also apply for Canadian permanent residence under the Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship program if they plan on staying permanently in Canada. However, for a temporary stay, the Super Visa is the best option for them, especially if they are residents of a country that need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to come to Canada.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for the Super Visa?

Applicants must be parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to qualify for the Super Visa. They must also clear all admissibility requirements to enter Canada. The spouse or common-in law partner of the principal applicant may be included in the application. However, dependent children can not accompany them.

How to Apply for the Super Visa?

The application process for the Super Visa is quite similar to applying for the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV). However, there is one additional requirement. The IRCC will require the Canadian citizen or permanent resident to sign a financial undertaking to agree to support their parents or grandparents during their stay in Canada. In addition to that, the documentation may include a signed letter from the Canadian citizen or resident and medical insurance worth at least $100,000 from a Canadian insurance company that is valid for at least 1 year from the day of arrival in Canada.

The signed letter must state clearly that the Canadian citizen or resident agrees to financially support their parents or grandparents during their stay. The applicant must also intend to leave Canada at the end of their authorized stay period. The IRCC will evaluate the applicant’s ties to their home country to determine whether they intend to leave Canada once their authorized status expires.

What Is the Alternative to the Super Visa?

For temporary status, foreigners can apply for visitor visas for a stay of up to 6 months. As mentioned above, those who want to stay in Canada permanently can apply for permanent residence through the Parent and Grandparents Sponsorship Program. This program allows Canadian citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their parents or grandparents for permanent residence in Canada.

The IRCC nominates applicants for this program by conducting a lottery to randomly select applicants from a pool of eligible candidates. This year, the Parent and Grandparents Sponsorship Lottery was held during the week of September 20. This lottery goes on for 2 weeks.

For this lottery, the IRCC will nominate applicants who submitted their application between October 13, 2020- November 3, 2020. The date for the next lottery is currently unknown.