If you want to bring your parents or grandparents as permanent residents to Canada, it is crucial that you are familiar with the Super Visa requirements. They must be the parents or grandparent of either a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and receive a letter of invitation; in addition, they must meet an income threshold and purchase health insurance policies in order to qualify.
What is a Super Visa?
The Super Visa is a Canadian visa specifically tailored for parents and grandparents that allows them to remain longer than regular visitors can. It is a multiple-entry visa which can be renewed up to five times, provided applicants meet certain requirements such as being sponsored by Canadian citizens or permanent residents and having strong ties back home; applicants must also convince immigration officials that they will depart at the end of their authorized stay; aren't inadmissible into Canada, etc.
Super Visa holders must meet immigration requirements as well as purchase medical insurance that fulfills minimum standards, providing at least $100,000 emergency coverage. They also require support from their sponsoring child or grandchild who is accountable for their financial wellbeing while in the country; this requirement contributes to why it takes so long to receive one of these visas.
Super Visa holders cannot work or enroll in studies during their stay in a country, forcing them to rely on their sponsors as income providers for the duration of their visit. Unfortunately, many of them come unprepared financially and find themselves struggling financially throughout their stay - which can cause considerable anxiety for both themselves and their sponsors.
However, there are ways to lessen some of the anxiety surrounding Super Visa applications. Applicants can purchase Visitors to Canada Insurance specifically designed for Super Visa holders which provides health care, hospitalization and repatriation coverage as well as repatriation insurance - or they can purchase private health insurance for even greater coverage.
As is true of all visa applications, both Super Visas and regular visitor visas require numerous documents in addition to the standard application forms. You will require bank statements or other evidence of finances as proof, proof from your sponsor stating they will meet minimum income requirements, travel itinerary as well as bank statements from an account you hold with them as evidence of responsibility and an itinerary showing when and where your travel will occur.
How do I apply for a Super Visa?
The Super Visa is a temporary permit enabling Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit their family for extended periods. Introduced in 2022 as an alternative to the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP), which only has limited spots each year and requires applicants to be sponsored by their children or grandchildren, this visa enables visitors from outside Canada to visit longer.
Application procedures for a Super Visa are relatively straightforward. Applicants will need a letter from their child or grandchild inviting them to Canada, evidence of income including tax returns and investment statements as well as supporting letters from relatives that can verify support during their time spent here. They must also submit medical reports that meet IRCC requirements as well as photographs that meet its standards.
Once an application is submitted, it will be reviewed by a Visa Officer to ensure all requirements have been fulfilled and that the applicant meets admissibility requirements for Canada. If found admissible, multiple-entry visas with validity periods of up to 10 years will be issued; officers may issue shorter validity periods if appropriate given individual circumstances.
All Super Visa holders must also obtain private Canadian medical insurance that provides hospitalization and repatriation coverage of at least $100,000 from an approved Canadian provider, such as BestQuote Travel Insurance Agency. If the coverage doesn't fully cover an unexpected hospital stay, additional costs will need to be covered upon arriving at a Canadian port of entry.
People wishing to apply for a Super Visa should consult with an established immigration consultancy, such as e-Visa Immigration. An agency such as this can guide them through every stage of the application process from eligibility checks through to document completion and preparation, while responding to any additional information requests made by IRCC.
What are the requirements to apply for a Super Visa?
Parents and grandparents wishing to sponsor children for the Super Visa must do so through one of two means; either as Canadian citizens or permanent residents themselves or through their spouse or common-law partner; spouses/common-law partners of sponsored children can apply; however dependents including infants do not qualify as Super Visa applicants but should instead join the sponsored child as a general visitor visitor in Canada.
The Super Visa has minimum income requirements that sponsors must fulfill to qualify, which are determined by what their earnings were during the three taxation years prior to applying for sponsorship. However, Citizenship and Immigration is currently exploring ways to reduce this threshold so more families may sponsor their loved ones.
Candidates applying for the Super Visa should be mindful of its processing time of up to 12 months; accordingly, if their sponsored child has an important event such as graduation ceremonies or concerts coming up soon, arrangements should be made so family members can attend so as not to jeopardise their status as visitors in Canada.
As part of their Super Visa applications, applicants should ensure their sponsored family members have health insurance in Canada. If this coverage is lacking, applicants can apply for either a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization. They can even do this outside Canada - provided they meet all criteria set out for TRV/eTA applications. If their family member is part of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), International Student Advising may provide them with temporary temporary coverage through working holiday programs.
The Super Visa provides an ideal opportunity for parents and grandparents to visit their children and grandchildren in Canada without worrying about reapplying for temporary visit visas every time they return from abroad. They can stay for up to five years during that period and return and forth between their home country and Canada as many times as desired during that timeframe. Furthermore, this visa may be renewed every two years!
How long can I stay in Canada with a Super Visa?
The Canada Super Visa allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to visit for up to two years at any one time, unlike the Parent and Grandparent Program (PGP), which offers permanent residency to sponsored family members. Instead, this visa offers temporary travel.
Applicant will need to demonstrate they are not using the Super Visa as a pathway towards permanent residency and do not intend on staying permanently by providing proof of financial support from their child or grandchild, and providing private health insurance with at least $100,000 coverage.
If an officer determines that an applicant meets all the criteria outlined above, they will grant them a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years from their initial entry into Canada. They must also present evidence of medical insurance from a Canadian insurer for at least one year; BestQuote offers such services and can compare different providers and offer you the best policy tailored specifically to you.
As soon as a visitor with a Super Visa arrives in Canada, they are required to present their passport and immigration document to an officer at the port of entry. Furthermore, they may need to present additional documentation such as an invitation letter from their Canadian citizen or permanent resident sponsor as well as proof of medical insurance and bank statements.
Letters of invitation from Canadian citizens or permanent residents must include a Letter of Support that confirms they will financially assist the invitee while they stay in Canada. A sponsor must include details regarding household size, employment status of sponsor, source(s) of income as well as details on any dependents in care of sponsor.
An invitation letter must not only be signed but must also bear a notary public stamp to validate its contents and guarantee its veracity. Furthermore, sponsors must present evidence of medical insurance with minimum coverage of $100,000CAD from Canadian insurers.