Inviting parents or grandparents by Indians staying in Canada has become simpler now. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and the Minister of Public Safety have given Ministerial Instructions regarding the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa – also known as the Super Visa. Significant changes have been made to the instructions to reflect the changes to Super Visas with effect from September 15, 2023.

To be eligible for a super visa, parents or grandparents must have a host who:

is your child or grandchild

is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada, or registered Indian who must provide a copy of the Canadian citizenship document of the host (and their spouse or common-law partner, if applicable)

or

the permanent resident document of the host (and their spouse or common-law partner, if applicable) or a Secure Certificate of Indian Status or Certificate of Indian Status (status card)

The Super Visa is a multiple-entry temporary resident visa (TRV), issued with a validity of up to 10 years. The period of authorized stay is 5 years for each entry. An applicant is eligible for a Super Visa if they apply from outside Canada, and meet the requirements for temporary residence in Canada as a visitor.

A super visa is different from a visitor visa. With a super visa, eligible parents and grandparents can visit family in Canada for 5 years at a time. A visitor visa only allows for a stay of up to 6 months at a time. If you wish to stay longer, you must apply for an extension and pay a new fee.

Only biological or adopted children may invite their parents or grandparents on a super visa. They may also invite the spouse or common-law partner of their parent or grandparent.

A Super Visa application may include a host child or grandchild who is a registered Indian. In such cases, officers should process the Super Visa application as usual and should not require additional proof of Canadian citizenship or permanent residence in Canada from the host; the Certificate of Indian Status is the only proof required to prove that the host is a person registered under the Indian Act. Once all the requirements for a Super Visa are met, officers should issue a Super Visa, which allows for a stay of 5 years for each authorized entry.

In order to determine the host’s ability to financially support the applicant for the length of the authorized stays, the host must provide proof that they meet or exceed the minimum necessary income, which is based on Statistics Canada’s low-income cut-offs.

The parents or grandparents must provide satisfactory evidence that they have valid health insurance from a Canadian insurance company or an insurance company outside Canada that is approved by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.