Super Visa for Parents and Grandparents

What the super visa is

IRCC says a parent or grandparent can visit their child or grandchild, if that person is a permanent resident, a Canadian citizen or a registered Indian, for 5 years at a time with a super visa. It provides multiple entries for up to 10 years. You cannot include dependants in the application.

If you want to stay for 6 months or less, IRCC says to apply for a visitor visa instead. Processing times vary by country, and IRCC lists the fee as starting from Can$100. Check IRCC's current processing times and fees before you apply. You may also need to give biometrics.

Who can apply

IRCC says both the applicant and the host (the child or grandchild) must meet requirements.

• The host can prove they are your biological or adopted child or grandchild.
• The host is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, is at least 18 and lives in Canada.
• The host meets or exceeds the minimum necessary income.
• The host writes and signs a letter of invitation.
• The applicant is outside Canada when applying and is allowed to enter Canada.
• The applicant has private health insurance valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry and takes an immigration medical exam.

The applicant must also meet the general requirements for visiting Canada. IRCC will consider whether you are a genuine visitor who will leave by choice at the end of the visit, your ties to your home country, the purpose of your visit, and your family and finances.

The letter of invitation and the income test

The letter of invitation, written and signed by your child or grandchild, must include proof that they meet or exceed the minimum necessary income, and the list and number of people included when they calculated their family size, with each person's name and date of birth.

A host's spouse or common-law partner can co-sign the letter if they are a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. Other family members, such as siblings, cannot co-sign. IRCC publishes the minimum necessary income table, which changes with family size, so check the current figures.

Health insurance

IRCC says the policy should:

• be from a Canadian insurance company, or from a company outside Canada that is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and issued the policy while doing insurance business in Canada;
• be valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry and for each entry to Canada;
• cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation;
• provide minimum emergency coverage of $100,000;
• be paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit. Quotes are not accepted.

Other documents

• Proof of completing a medical exam with an approved panel physician.
• Proof that the host is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian.
• Proof of your relationship, such as the host's birth certificate or baptismal certificate, or another official document naming you as the parent or grandparent.
• Any additional documents required by your local visa office, and translations where needed.

How long you can stay

IRCC says that if you applied on or after June 22, 2023, you are eligible to stay for 5 years at a time. Before your status expires, you must leave Canada or apply to extend your stay, and it is your responsibility to keep valid visitor status.

If you have already submitted a sponsorship application for a parent or grandparent, IRCC says you can apply for a super visa while you wait for a decision, or withdraw the sponsorship application and apply for a super visa. See our page on sponsorship applications.

Why super visa applications are refused

• The officer is not satisfied that the applicant will leave Canada at the end of the stay.
• The host's income documents do not show the minimum necessary income, or the family size is calculated incorrectly.
• The insurance policy does not meet the requirements, for example a quote instead of a paid policy.
• The application is incomplete or documents are unclear.
• A medical or other admissibility concern.

If an application is refused, see our page on what to do after a visa or permit refusal. There are short court deadlines.

How we can help

We review whether the host meets the income test, check the letter of invitation and insurance, prepare the application, and respond to IRCC requests. If an application is refused, we explain the options and deadlines. We cannot guarantee that IRCC will approve an application.