Super Visa

Overview

The Super Visa is a visitor route for eligible parents and grandparents. Preparation brings together the applicant’s circumstances, the host’s supporting evidence and the required insurance and medical documents.

Who it is for

Parents and grandparents planning an extended visit to an eligible child or grandchild in Canada.

Eligibility

Confirm the host requirements, family size, current income rules, insurance requirements and applicant conditions on the official Super Visa pages.

Visitor visa or Super Visa: start with the intended stay

A parent planning a short family visit and a parent planning an extended stay have different preparation needs. A Super Visa is a temporary-resident route for eligible parents and grandparents; it does not grant permanent residence. Compare the current permitted stay, insurance conditions and host requirements before choosing the application. A grandchild's invitation on its own does not establish eligibility.

Write down who will travel, who will host them, the intended period and how the visit will be paid for. If spouses travel together, each needs their own immigration documentation. Other relatives do not become Super Visa applicants simply because they travel with a parent. Use the visitor route where that is the appropriate category.

Prepare the parent's documents and the host's evidence separately

The applicant's folder should explain identity, relationship to the host, the purpose of the stay and the applicant's circumstances outside Canada. The host's folder should establish the qualifying relationship, Canadian status, family composition and the financial evidence required by the current instructions. Reconcile spellings and dates across birth certificates, passports and relationship records; explain genuine differences rather than silently changing them.

Family size is a rule-based calculation, not simply the number of people travelling. Check which household members and existing commitments must be included before using an income table. Our income tool is a planning aid. Keep the supporting records behind each answer so a professional can assess the actual requirement, including any current alternatives or special conditions.

Compare insurance using the policy wording

Check insurer eligibility, required coverage, validity, payment evidence and when the policy must take effect against the current IRCC instructions. Compare the coverage itself as well as the price. Ask the insurer about exclusions, pre-existing conditions, deductibles and the cancellation or date-change terms if travel plans change. A quotation and an issued policy are different documents.

Medical examination instructions are also separate from insurance. Follow the current application instructions and use an approved panel physician where required. Do not assume buying insurance resolves a medical admissibility issue, or that a medical appointment means an application has been approved.

Plan the visit and the next step

A processing estimate cannot confirm a family event or flight date. Keep bookings flexible, check the visa and passport information when documents arrive, and understand the conditions recorded at entry. A visa's expiry date is not automatically the last day of the authorized stay. If an extension becomes necessary, review the visitor-record instructions before the current stay expires.

For an initial enquiry, tell us whether you are the parent or host, where the parent lives and the intended length of the visit. We can explain the preparation support available and coordinate regulated advice with an authorized professional where required. Send sensitive financial or identity documents only through the agreed document process after the scope is confirmed.

Documents to prepare

A starting point for your preparation. Your personal document requirements depend on the current official instructions and your circumstances.

• Identity and family relationship evidence
• Host invitation and status evidence
• Host financial records
• Qualifying medical insurance evidence
• Medical examination records where required

Fees, clearly separated

Government fees are separate from our professional fees. Medical examinations, biometrics, insurance, translations and other third-party costs may apply. Confirm the current government fee with IRCC and request a written service scope before paying.

Processing time

Processing times are estimates, not guarantees. Select your application type and country in Processing Times, or check directly with IRCC. A published estimate does not predict the decision date for your file.

Your application steps

1. Confirm the applicant and host route.
2. Check family size and current income requirements.
3. Prepare invitation, insurance and evidence.
4. Follow the official submission instructions.
5. Complete the requested medical and biometrics steps.

After you apply

Keep a copy of your submission, check the official account used to apply, and follow any request from IRCC. Respond by the deadline in your letter. Our preparation progress is separate from official IRCC application status.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using an outdated income table
• Buying insurance without checking the official requirements
• Confusing temporary visiting with parent sponsorship

Understanding a refusal

Look at the applicant and host evidence together. A refusal review should consider the specific financial, purpose and admissibility concerns in the decision.

Questions, made clear

Official sources & review

• Super Visa requirements and application
• Extending a visit