Did you know that if you live in Canada but your parents or grandparents don’t, the Super Visa is a fantastic option that may allow them to visit you for as long as a decade?
A Super Visa allows eligible parents and grandparents to visit you and stay in Canada for up to two years. Not only that, the Super Visa is renewable, and one Super Visa, if extended multiple times, is good for up to 10 years!
To learn more about the Canadian Super Visa and how you can get one for your parents or grandparents, keep reading. You’ll see that it’s an amazing opportunity you shouldn’t miss!
Not all parents and grandparents are eligible.
To be able to apply, a parent or grandparent must meet certain criteria. First, the potential Super Visa recipient must be admissible to Canada. This means if your parent or grandparent has committed or been convicted of a crime, they may be out of luck. That said, there are ways to overcome this obstacle, and you can read about them on the Government of Canada’s website regarding Overcoming Criminal Convictions.
Parents and grandparents can also be inadmissible to enter Canada for a number of other reasons outside of criminal inadmissibility. There are security inadmissibility reasons, those related to human rights, as well as medical, financial and other inadmissibility obstacles. Read more about them here.
However, if your parents or grandparents are admissible to Canada, there is another requirement: they must be willing to undergo a medical evaluation.
Assuming all that is in order, in order to successfully apply for a Super Visa, a parent or grandparent must have a signed letter from a child (or grandchild) that officially invites them to Canada.
Along with the letter, there must also be a promise of financial support by the child or grandchild for the duration of the visit, as well as a list of the number of people that will be living together. A document proving the child or grandchild’s Canadian citizenship or permanent residency will also be required.
In addition to this, a parent or grandparent must also have medical insurance ($100,000 minimum coverage) from a Canadian insurance company valid for at least one year from the date of entry, and have proof that the medical insurance has been paid for, not just have a quote from a Canadian insurance company.
Finally, the department responsible, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) insists that Super Visa applicants must be a genuine visitor to Canada who intends to leave by choice at the end of their visit, should they choose not to extend.
While that may seem like a lot of ground to cover, it is very much worth the effort for those people interested in having their parents or grandparents visit for long periods of time. Why not spend more time with family while enjoying the benefits of living in Canada?
Both programs are actually pretty similar.
For example, in both the Super Visa and PGP, a sponsor is required, and that sponsor must be a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident. Similarly, the sponsor must make a series of promises (financial and otherwise) that you can read about here. The goal of both programs is to reunite families in Canada.
The main difference between the two programs is that the Super Visa is designed for long-term visitors, essentially a form of multi-entry visa. In contrast, the PGP is designed to allow parents and grandparents to acquire permanent residency (and also potentially Canadian citizenship) later on.
Super Visas are also available year-round, unlike for the PGP, and the income requirement for Super Visas is also lower than for the PGP. In addition, the process for receiving a Super Visa is shorter – one can be issued in as little as a matter of weeks in some cases.
Unlike the PGP, which caps the number of available spaces at 21,000 per year, the Super Visa is available to all those who qualify! According to recent statistics, approximately 25% of Super Visa applications are denied, meaning (all other things being equal) that you have a 3 in 4 chance of getting one. Not bad!
There are a number of companies that specialize in helping people acquire a Super Visas or work out solutions to a variety of immigration challenges. However, remember that one of the basic requirements of getting a Super Visa is getting insurance from a Canadian company. Without $100,000 in health coverage for a period of at least one year, you’re guaranteed to be rejected.
That’s why it’s always a good idea to reach out to an insurance company as one of your first steps. InstaInsure happens to specialize in Super Visa insurance, and can help you take some of the first (and most important) steps in your Super Visa journey. They’re super helpful and are only a call away. To learn more about the proces, costs, and time involved, contact them today!
I am always looking for a system in which I can issue my policy right away. When I saw this website, I found it so simple! With few clicks I can compare with all Canadian Amazing!
I am always looking for a system in which I can issue my policy right away. When I saw this website, I found it so simple! With few clicks I can compare with all Canadian Amazing!
Travelling can be a pain in the neck, so the last thing visitors to Canada want to do is spend hours researching complicated insurance policies.
Good news! We’ve developed a process that lets you instantly get a policy!
Our three-step process saves you time and money, which you could use for other travel-related tasks, am I right? You don't even have to deal with an agent. It's up to you!
If you’d like one of our support team members to walk you through your new insurance plan, drop us a line! We’re always happy to chat with you and even help you pick out the right plan. We train our team to know the ins and outs of Visitors to Canada insurance, Super Visa insurance, and travel insurance.
