Super Visa for Parents & Grandparents

Overview

The super visa lets parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents visit for up to five years at a time. The child or grandchild in Canada must meet an income requirement, and the visitor needs private medical insurance from an eligible insurer.

Who may qualify

• Parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident
• Invitation and financial support from the child or grandchild in Canada
• Eligible Canadian or foreign medical insurance
• Immigration medical exam

The process

1. 1Confirm the host meets the income requirement
2. 2Buy eligible medical insurance
3. 3Complete the immigration medical exam
4. 4Submit the super visa application
5. 5Give biometrics and receive a decision

Timeline: Varies by country — check IRCC's current processing times

Understand temporary long-stay visits

The super visa is for eligible parents and grandparents visiting family. It can permit five-year visits and multiple entries over a validity period of up to ten years. Actual validity and authorized stay depend on issued documents and border decisions. Check any stamp or visitor record on arrival; validity for travel and duration of admission are different.

It is not PR, a work permit or automatic provincial health coverage. A parent planning permanent settlement needs a separate pathway. Pending parent sponsorship does not necessarily prevent a super visa, but visitors must establish willingness to respect temporary conditions if PR is not granted. Explain the genuine visit and family plans rather than describing a visitor application as permanent relocation.

Requirements checklist for host and visitor

The host must be an eligible child or grandchild aged at least 18, living in Canada and holding citizenship, permanent residence or registration under the Canadian Indian Act. Document the relationship, including intermediate generations for grandparents. The host provides a signed invitation and meets applicable financial requirements.

The applicant applies from outside Canada, undergoes the required immigration medical exam and satisfies admissibility and genuine-visitor criteria. Strong host finances do not cure undisclosed refusals, criminal history or contradictory explanations. Document purpose, accommodation, funding and eventual departure with individual facts. A generic family invitation is not proof of every eligibility requirement.

Calculate income using the correct household

There is no single threshold for all families. Use IRCC’s current minimum necessary income table and family-size instructions. Include the host, relevant spouse or partner, dependants, invited applicants and people counted through relevant existing undertakings or invitations. Omitting a person can change the threshold.

Current financial assessment methods and permitted income sources must be checked on the official host-support page. Match tax records, employment evidence and any qualifying co-signer income to the method used. Do not assume overseas savings or another relative’s earnings replace the specified test. The host’s qualifying spouse or partner may co-sign under the rules; siblings and friends cannot simply pool income as substitute co-signers.

Explain changes in household composition and financial circumstances. Tax documents and current employment evidence answer different questions; organize both where requested. A high current salary does not remove the need to establish the income period and family size required by the chosen assessment. Keep a calculation showing exactly who has been counted.

Obtain compliant insurance and medical evidence

Private insurance must satisfy IRCC’s requirements, including at least one year from entry and at least $100,000 coverage for health care, hospitalization and repatriation. Use a Canadian insurer or qualifying foreign insurer meeting current eligibility requirements. Not every international travel insurer qualifies.

Provide policy and payment evidence meeting official rules; a quote alone is insufficient. If instalments are permitted, verify deposit and payment requirements. Read exclusions, deductibles and pre-existing-condition provisions before buying. Coverage advice should come from a qualified insurance professional. Carry proof at entry and maintain coverage throughout the relevant visit.

Arrange the immigration medical examination with an approved panel physician and follow application instructions. A family doctor’s general letter does not automatically replace the required examination. Medical issues may need separate assessment and additional evidence. Buying insurance does not guarantee medical admissibility or immigration approval.

Submission and managing the visit

The invitation should identify support, accommodation, visit plans and people included in the income calculation. Reconcile names and birth dates across passports, civil records and Canadian status evidence. Explain name changes and missing historical records with reliable alternatives and compliant translations.

Follow online and country-specific instructions, respond to biometrics, medical and passport requests and retain correspondence. Avoid irreversible travel bookings before a decision. After admission, track stay expiry separately from visa expiry and keep insurance active. Seek any extension before status expires; approval is not automatic. A repeat entry is still subject to examination, and a super visa does not authorize employment while visiting family.

Government fees

Government amounts are in Canadian dollars and must be checked on the official fee list before payment. Professional fees, translations, medical examinations and other third-party costs are separate. Exemptions and family maximums may apply; paying a fee does not purchase approval.

Processing times: Use the linked live IRCC processing-times tool for your application type and location. Published estimates are not deadlines or guarantees. Allow separately for document preparation, biometrics, medical examinations and any passport submission. A processing estimate does not extend immigration status.

Document checklist

• Passport and complete travel and immigration history
• Birth or adoption records proving the full relationship chain
• Host Canadian status and residence evidence
• Signed invitation and family-size details
• Income records and any eligible co-signer evidence
• Compliant insurance policy and payment evidence
• Required panel-physician medical and biometrics records
• Visit and departure explanation, translations and local instructions

Common refusal reasons

• Incorrect family size or insufficient qualifying income
• Insurance quote only, inadequate cover or ineligible provider
• Relationship chain not proven
• Weak temporary-visit explanation
• Medical or other inadmissibility issues
• Omitted refusals or inconsistent histories

Frequently asked questions