Canada Super Visa: Parents of immigrants can stay up to 5 years per visit

The Canadian Super Visa lets parents and grandparents of citizens or permanent residents stay for up to 5 years per visit, with multiple entries allowed over 10 years

Living far from family? Canada’s Super Visa offers a longer stay for parents and grandparents. 

 

What is the Canadian Super Visa?

 

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Super Visa allows parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents to enter Canada multiple times over a period of up to 10 years. Each visit can last up to five years at a stretch.

 

This is not a permanent residence pathway. It’s still a visitor visa, just with longer permitted stays. While it spares families the need to keep reapplying for entry, it does not give work rights or access to public benefits.

 

 

How is it different from a regular visitor visa?

 

Here’s how the Super Visa differs from a standard visitor visa as per IRCC:

 

Number of entries: A visitor visa typically allows single entry for a short visit. The Super Visa allows multiple entries for up to 10 years.

Stay duration: Visitor visa holders are usually allowed to stay for up to six months per visit. Super Visa holders can stay for up to five years at a time.

Eligibility: Anyone can apply for a visitor visa. The Super Visa is strictly for parents or grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Purpose: Visitor visas are issued for general tourism or short visits. The Super Visa is tailored for extended family reunification.

 

Who is eligible for a Super Visa?

 

According to IRCC, to apply for a Super Visa, the applicant must:

 

• Be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident

• Apply from outside Canada

• Have valid medical insurance from a Canadian provider worth at least CAD $100,000, valid for a minimum of one year

• Submit a signed letter of invitation from their child or grandchild in Canada

• Clear a medical exam, prove intent to return, and provide documents about the home country’s conditions

 

How to apply

 

1. Send a letter to sponsor your parents or grandparents. This must include:

 

• Name and date of birth of the applicant

• Purpose and duration of the visit

• Home address and contact number

• Address where the applicant will stay in Canada

 

2. Choose whether to apply online or on paper

 

3. Collect all supporting documents, including:

 

• Passport

• Birth certificate or other documents proving the relationship

• Marriage certificate (if applicable)

• Proof of medical insurance

• Letter of invitation

 

4. Fill out and submit the Super Visa application form

 

Once approved, the visa is stamped in the applicant’s passport and remains valid for up to 10 years, subject to passport expiry.

 

Processing time and cost

 

If applying from India, the average processing time for a Super Visa is about 78 days, but it can be extended, according to the July 2025 update by Canada immigration.

 

Here are the costs involved:

 

CAD $100 – application processing fee

CAD $85 – biometrics fee

CAD $200 to $300 – medical exam fee

 

Can your parents work in Canada on a Super Visa?

 

No. The Super Visa does not grant the right to work in Canada. It only allows extended visits. Anyone who wants to work must apply for a separate work permit and secure a job offer.

 

Important to know

 

Many families also purchase international travel insurance for their parents to cover any unexpected medical issues or travel-related disruptions such as delays or baggage loss. While not mandatory beyond the medical insurance required for the visa, it can offer peace of mind.

 

Canada also offers a Parents and Grandparents Program, which is a route to permanent residency for Canadians and permanent residence. 

 

However, demand usually exceeds supply, so IRCC uses a lottery-style draw to select eligible sponsors. Applications are only accepted from those drawn in the lottery.