If you’re already in Canada as a permanent resident or as a Canadian citizen, and you want to bring your parents or your grandparents to Canada as quickly as possible, you have the option of using what’s known as a super visa for parents and grandparents.
What is a Super Visa?
Ideally, Canadian permanent residents and Canadian citizens would want to complete an application as sponsors, thereby allowing their parents or grandparents to become permanent residents. However, for many reasons, making such an application can be a challenge.
For instance, the government has limited the number of applications that it processes in any given year, and the processing time can be extensive. Therefore, if you want to get your parents or grandparents here right away, a good option is going to be this super visa.
A super visa is a visa that allows the parents or grandparents to come to Canada for up to two years at a time. Meaning, they’ll be able to spend up to two years in Canada without having to go back to their home country – and they can do this for a period of time of up to 10 years.
Typically, somebody who’s coming to Canada on a regular visa is allowed to stay in Canada for up to six months, after which they need to return to their home country or apply for an extension of their status as a visitor. However, for persons who are coming to Canada with the Super Visa, they will be able to spend up to two years in Canada.
If the intention is to have them coming for just six months, then the regular visitor visa is going to be a better option than the Super Visa. However, the Super Visa is quite a popular option used by Canadian permanent residents and citizens.
Who can apply for a Super Visa?
In terms of eligibility, of course, the persons making the applications or the persons in Canada who are wanting to invite the applicants here must themselves be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
Note that the application is technically being made by the parent or grandparent since they’re the ones who are applying for this super visa. However, to be eligible, they must be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. You will also need to receive a letter of invitation from your Canadian child or grandchild.
The letter has to be very specific and must include a promise for financial support. It must also list the number of persons in the household and so on and so forth. And so, that’s something that you definitely will want to pay attention to, or at least get some expert guidance.
Medical Insurance of the Super Visa Applicant
Another essential requirement is that you must have medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company. The medical insurance from the Canadian insurance company ensures that, in the event of illness, your parent or a grandparent can get good health care. The monthly premium is going to vary depending on the insurance company you go with. However, the policy should provide a minimum of $100,000 coverage.
In addition, an immigration medical is a requirement, irrespective of what country you’re coming from.
Income and Financial Support
When it comes to financial support, the Canadian permanent resident or the Canadian citizen inviting the parent or grandparent must provide proof of income. The proof must state they have the minimum necessary household income to take care of this parent or a grandparent when they’re in Canada.
They must meet something called the low-income cutoff or LICO, and LICO pretty much the government’s household income requirement for a household to be able to show that they’ll be able to take care of this relative when this relative comes.
For a one-person household with Canadian permanent resident or citizen, you need to show that you have a minimum necessary income of 25,000. The income requirement increases based on the number of persons in the household. Of course, there are specific rules around calculating the number of persons in the household.
How is the decision to grant a Super Visa Made
Of course, like any other application, this decision to grant or not grant a super visa ‘will ultimately be up to the discretion of the officer assessing the application. Canada’s immigration laws allow for immigration officers to use what’s called their “Discretionary power” to make decisions.
Ultimately, the officer’s discretion will play a part in that decision. The officer is going to be looking at things such as ties to your home country, property in your home country, or whether or not you’re likely to return to your home country after coming on a super visa.
Moreover, your family’s ability to take care of you while you’re here is going to be a factor as well as the overall political situation in your home country. Is the situation there, one, that suggests that you are unlikely to return, should you ever get to Canada? Those are some of the issues that the officer will likely be looking at.
Where to Apply for a Super Visa
Applications are made outside Canada, and it’s not something that can be filed within Canada. This means that the Canadian office that the application is submitted through must be an office outside Canada.
This is just a general overview of the super visa for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who want to come to Canada for more than six months.
Let Us Help
We can help you make the strongest possible Super Visa application. Let us know if you need our help.
