When planning for your parents or grandparents to visit you in Canada, deciding to apply for a regular visitor visa or a Super Visa can be confusing. In this post, we break down the differences between the two options, and explain how to make the right choice for your family.
When deciding to apply for your parents or grandparents to visit Canada, it can be confusing as to what type of application to make. There are essentially 3 types of visitor’s visa that we need to consider when deciding which type of visa application makes the most sense.
Super Visa
- Allows travel to and from Canada for a max period of 10 years
- Allows holders to remain inside Canada for up to 2 years before they need to leave or apply for an extension
- Applicant must be invited by a Canadian citizen or Permanent Residence who is a child or grandchild and who meets income requirements
- The applicant requires proof of private medical insurance in Canada as part of the application package
Single Entry Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
- Allows travel to and from Canada one time only
- Allows holders to remain inside Canada for up to 6 months before they need to leave or apply for an extension
- An applicant can be invited by anyone
Multiple Entry TRV
- Allows travel to and from Canada for a maximum period of 10 years
- Allows holders to remain inside Canada for up to 6 months before they need to leave or apply for an extension
- Applicant can be invited by anyone
When considering whether or not you should apply for a Super Visa or a regular visitor’s visa (TRV) for your parents or grandparents, first think about how long they are going to stay inside Canada when they come to visit. If they are planning to stay for less than 6 months, then a regular TRV is going to make the most sense for your situation. Keep in mind that a regular TRV (multiple entry) will still be issued for a max of 10 years or to the passport expiry, so your parents or grandparents can apply once for the visa and then use it for many different trips to Canada. It doesn’t make any sense to go through the extra hassle or expense for a Super Visa if your loved ones are only coming for a short visit.
If your parents or grandparents would like to stay for longer than 6 months when they travel to Canada, then you need to confirm that you meet the income requirements for the Super Visa application. If you don’t meet the income requirements, you can still apply for a regular TRV and then plan to ask for an extension of stay once your parents or grandparents arrive in Canada, before their 6-month entry expires. In this type of scenario, you are going to need to make a new extension application every six months or have your parents or grandparents go home for a period of time and then return again. Remember, as long as they have a multiple entry TRV, they can use the visa to travel to Canada as many times as they like until it expires.
Super Visa Income Requirements
The level of annual income required in order to apply for a Super Visa for your parent or grandparent will depend on your own family size and how many people you wish to bring to Canada. To calculate family size, you need to take into account yourself, any spouse or partner and any dependent children under the age of 22. Then you add the number of people that you are including in your application for a super visa (1 or 2). You will be required to provide documentation to prove that your income exceeds the minimum level set by Canada’s immigration department for your specific family size.
Super Visa Income Requirements Chart
| Family Size | Minimum Necessary Gross Income |
| 1 Person | $25,921 |
| 2 Persons | $32,270 |
| 3 Persons | $39,672 |
| 4 Persons | $48,167 |
| 5 Persons | $54,630 |
| 6 Persons | $61,613 |
| 7 Persons | $68,598 |
| More than 7 persons | for each additional person, add $6,985 |
To prove the required level of income, you will need to include at least one of the following items:
- Notice of Assessment or T4 for most recent tax year
- Letter of employment
- Pay stubs, or
- Bank statements
Super Visa Insurance
There is a major difference in cost between a visitor’s visa and a Super Visa, and that relates to the requirement to purchase private medical insurance as part of the Super Visa application process. In order to apply for a Super Visa, you will need to submit proof that you have purchased private medical insurance for your parent or grandparent, from a Canadian insurance company, that provides $100,000 in coverage. The premium for this coverage will vary depending on the age of your parent and their health status. A quick google search will provide you with several sites from which to obtain a Super Visa insurance quote. Most reputable companies will offer a refund if your visa is refused and the start date of the coverage will be adjusted to the date your parent actually arrives in Canada.
The Way Immigration has successfully assisted hundreds of parents and grandparents to visit their family members in Canada. We would be pleased to help you determine your best options to have your parents or grandparents visit you in Canada.
