Parent and GrandParent Super Visa

Inviting parents or grandparents to Canada?

Are you a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada and wish to invite your parents or grandparents to Canada for longer than 6 months? If so you may eligible to invite them under the Super Visa for longer period of stay. The Super Visa allows the parent or grandparent to stay 2 years in Canada per visit. Super Visas are granted maximum of 10 years and every 2 years the visitor has to leave country. Super Visa is only for parents or grandparents, so if you are not the parent or grandparent of the child than unfortunately you do not qualify and have to apply for a Visitor Visa. There are many requirements one needs to meet to be eligible as the inviter and the applicant, read further for detailed information on Super Visa.

Super Visa Eligibility and Documents:

If you have plans to apply under the category of Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, you must be the parent or grandparent of the Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to be permitted to enter Canada and meet certain other conditions. Immigration officer would consider various things before taking any decision on your application. You must have intensions to leave Canada willingly when your visa reaches expiry date. The immigration officer will consider the following factors when issuing a Super Visa:

• Ties to your home country (property you own back home, family obligations back home, job awaiting you back home, travel history, anything that will show your intent is only for temporary purposes)
• Why you want to visit Canada
• Your financial situation and your family’s financial condition in Canada
• You have no criminal record
• Invitee has to show they meet Low Income Cut Off requirement (LICO)
• Economic situation of the applicant home country
• Medical insurance coverage for at least one year for the parent or grandparent
• Invitation letter from the host
• The parent or grandparent must also complete a medical examination
• Have police clearance to ensure no inadmissibility exists

To get a Parent or Grandparent Super Visa, you also need to provide:

• Proof that you are the parent or grandparent of the canadian host (this can demonstrated by providing birth certificate, baptismal or any other official document that proves you are the parent or grandparent
• Invitation letter from the child or grandchild which will explain all the arrangements and support that will be provided for the parent or grandparent. Also, indicating how many people reside in your current house hold and how you will support the additional members joining your family this can be done by providing financial statement and notice of assessment of recent taxation year. Check the government website if you meet LICO requirements for your household size.
• Medical coverage for at least one year, so you must provide proof you have purchased Canadian medical insurance that covers you at least in $100,000 in health care, hospitalization and repatriation

Difference between Super Visa and Visitor Visa

Difference/Similarities	Super Visa	Visitor Visa
Difference	Valid for maximum of 10 years and have to exit Canada every 2 years	Valid for maximum of 10 years and have to exit Canada every 6 months
Difference	For parents and grandparents only	For everyone
Difference	Medical and Police Clearance required	Depending on your country of citizenship the officer may request it
Difference	Meeting LICO requirements	Not required to meet LICO requirements but you do have to show you as the visitor or the host is able to support you during your time of stay
Difference	Processing time approximately 2-4 months depends on country of citizenship and officer reviewing the file	Processing time approximately 2-4 weeks depends on country of citizenship and officer reviewing the file
Difference	Require invitation letter from the host	Invitation letter not required but recommended for higher chance of success
Difference	Medical coverage required	Medical coverage not required
Similarities	Intent has to for temporary purposes	Intent has to for temporary purposes
Similarities	Multiple entry visa	Multiple entry visa

Can I extend my stay as Visitor to Canada?

If you like to extend your stay as a visitor, student or work status in Canada you must apply 30 days before your visa expires. The expiration date is located on your passport and if you do not have the stamp on your passport then calculate 6 months from the day you entered Canada. The extension given is up to the discretion of the immigration officer they will evaluate if you have good reasons to remain in Canada and ties to your home country.

You should apply 30 days before your status expires to:

• extend your visitor, student or work status,
• change your permit type (for example, from a study permit to a work permit) or
• change your permit condition(s) (for example, if you are studying and you want to change schools, or if you are working and you want to change jobs).

Can I apply for Super Visa if I come from Visa Exempt Country?

If your parents or grandparents come from visa exempt country such Italy, Germany, Netherlands they can also take advantage of the Super Visa. Of course your child or grandchild has to be Canadian citizen or permanent resident to be able to apply. Your parent or grandparent can apply at a Canadian visa office (no fee required) and determine that they meet all the requirements for the Super Visa. Applicants who meet all the criteria will receive a letter by the visa office which they will present to a Canada Border Services Agency officer at the port of entry upon their arrival in Canada. The officer may entitle a visit to Canada for up to two years.

How to calculate family size for Super Visa applications?

Add the following people when calculating family size:

• the person inviting you ( child or grandchild)
• the spouse of the person that is inviting you (your wife or husband)
• the dependants of the person inviting you (children)
• the dependants that are travelling with the person visiting you
• any other person whom the child or grandchild inviting you is presently sponsoring or co-signing for

For example, the child or grandchild that is inviting you has no children and is inviting mom and dad your family size would be: you (the child or grandchild) plus mom and dad equals family size of 3.

If the family is in Canada inviting you in a family of four members (the inviting child or grandchild, the spouse and two dependent children) and they plan to host two visiting parents. The family size would be six.

The family in Canada inviting you is a family of three (the inviting child or grandchild, the spouse and one dependent child). They plan to host you and your dependent child. The family size would be considered five.

Super Visa Low Income Cut Off (LICO) Requirements

To be able to invite your parents or grandparents under the Super Visa as the invitee you have to meet the financial requirement. You have to be able to show to government of Canada you are able to support your loved ones during their time of stay in Canada this includes your own immediate family members as well. So as the invitee you have to meet Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) requirements. The chart below is used to determine an individual’s ability to sponsor family members through the Family Class. The minimum necessary income is updated each year on January 1.

Size of family unit	Minimum Necessary Income
1 Person	$22,229
2 Person	$27,674
3 Person	$34,022
4 Person	$41,307
5 person	$46,850
6 Person	$52,838
7 Person	$58,827
More than 7 Persons, For each Additional person, Add	$5,989

Need help with Super Visa? Contact Akrami & Associates

Inviting your parents or grandparents to Canada is not an easy process as the government of Canada wants to ensure these individuals will exit once their visa expires and that will not be a financial burden to Canada. In order to submit a successful application the immigration officer looks for ample supporting documents to prove their intent is temporary and that the invitee is able to support the person or persons during their time of stay. If you like to have the highest possible chance of succeeding with your Super Visa application then contact Akrami & Associates today. Our team of immigration experts have submitted many successful Super Visa applications and we love to help you too. Call us today at 416-477-2545 for further details.

With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!!