Immigration Blog about US & Canadian Immigration matters.

Applying for a Super Visa

Many families have been split apart as a result of children and grandchildren attempting to immigrate to Canada and start a new life. The government of Canada takes this into consideration and allows for a process called the super visa. The super visa is a visitor’s visa for parents and grandparents who wish to visit their children or grandchildren in Canada. This super visa allows for multiple persons to visit Canada for a period of 2 years at a time and with a status period of up to 10 years. This article will talk about who is eligible for a super visa, what to do if it is refused, super visa extensions, and financial requirements in order to allow for a parent/grandparent to obtain a super visa.

Eligibility required to apply for a super visa

• An applicant can apply for a super visa if they meet the requirements for temporary residence in Canada as a visitor and provide the proper documentation. They require documents such as:proof of their relationship to the child or grandchild (who must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident)
• proof of a medical examination and of being medically admissible into Canada
• evidence that the child or grandchild is able to provide financial support through meeting the low income cut-off (LICO) minimum (a co-signer may be added to meet the LICO minimum)

Application process of a super visa

After your application is sent, it will be processed at the visa office to make sure it has been done correctly and that it contains all the necessary documents. A visa officer will decide if an interview is necessary. If an interview is required, you will be notified about the interview. If your application is refused, your passport and other documents will be returned. You will also receive a letter telling you why your application was refused. If you sent forged or fake, they will not be returned to you. If your application is approved, your passport and other documents will be returned to you with your super visa. Note that a valid temporary resident visa (TRV) and a valid travel document do not guarantee you entry into the country. You may not be allowed to enter if you arrive in Canada and a Canadian official finds that you are no longer admissible because there has been new information about you which has appeared (such as a forged document).

What is a Super Visa?

A Super Visa is a temporary visa issued to parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and Permanent Residents of Canada. The Super Visa allows parents and/or grandparents to enter Canada and stay for up to 2 years per visit and is valid for a period of 10 years. A Visitor Visa is a multiple entry visa which is also valid for 10 years but only allows 6 months of stay per visit; different from a Super Visa which enables 2 years of stay. The Super Visa allows parents and grandparents of Citizens and/or permanent residents to enter Canada and stay with them for an authorized period.

You must be eligible to apply for a Super Visa as a parent or grandparent. Eligibility means you must meet the following conditions:

If you are the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident and you,

• Do not wish to come to Canada permanently
• Do not want to go through the process of applying for a visitor’s visa (if not from a visa-exempt country)
• Want to stay in Canada for more than six months at a time

then making an application for a Super Visa may be preferable to you. In addition to the above reasons, applying for a Super Visa is also less expensive.