How to Apply for a Super Visa for Parents or Grandparents Visiting Canada
Learn how to apply for Canada's super visa for parents and grandparents, including 2026 income rules, $100 fee, medical insurance, medical exam requirements, documents and online application steps.
CA Canada
Immigration & Travel ~ 14 min read
16 FAQ
Updated 2026-08-25
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To apply for a Canadian super visa, you must be the parent or grandparent of an eligible host who is your Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian child or grandchild, and you must apply from outside Canada. Your host must be at least 18, live in Canada, meet the minimum necessary income requirement and provide a signed invitation letter. You must have qualifying private health insurance valid for at least 1 year from your date of entry, with at least $100,000 in emergency coverage, and complete an immigration medical exam. The super visa application fee is $100 for applicants who need a temporary resident visa, plus $85 for biometrics if required. Approved super visa holders can generally stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time, with multiple entries for up to 10 years.
What you need
- Be the biological or adopted parent or grandparent of an eligible host in Canada.
- Apply from outside Canada.
- Have a host who is your child or grandchild, is at least 18 years old, lives in Canada and is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian.
- Have a signed invitation letter from your host that includes the required family-size and financial support information.
- Provide proof that the applicable minimum necessary income requirement is met.
- Provide proof of your relationship to the host, such as the host's birth certificate, baptismal certificate or another official record naming you as the parent or grandparent.
- Provide proof of the host's Canadian citizenship, permanent resident status or registered Indian status.
- Purchase qualifying private health insurance valid for at least 1 year from your date of entry, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation, with at least $100,000 in emergency coverage.
- Complete an immigration medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician and provide proof of completion.
- Meet Canada's general visitor and admissibility requirements.
- Provide any country-specific documents required by the responsible visa office.
- Pay the applicable application and biometrics fees.
Eligibility
You may qualify for a super visa if you are the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen, Canadian permanent resident or person registered in Canada as an Indian under the Indian Act. Your host child or grandchild must be at least 18 years old, live in Canada, meet the minimum necessary income requirement and sign a letter inviting you to Canada. You must apply from outside Canada, be admissible to Canada, complete an immigration medical exam and have qualifying private health insurance for at least one year from your date of entry. IRCC also assesses whether you are a genuine visitor who will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay, considering factors such as your ties to your home country, purpose of travel, family and finances.
How to do it
- Confirm that you are the parent or grandparent of an eligible Canadian host and that both you and your host meet the super visa eligibility rules.
- Calculate the host's family size using IRCC's super visa rules, including the applicant, host, applicable spouse or common-law partner, dependent children and certain previously sponsored or hosted people.
- Check the current minimum necessary income for that family size and decide which IRCC income option will be used.
- Have your host prepare and sign the invitation letter and gather the required proof of income and Canadian status.
- Purchase qualifying private health insurance that meets IRCC's super visa requirements and keep proof of the paid policy.
- Complete the required immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician and obtain proof of completion.
- Gather proof of your relationship to the host, your passport and any country-specific supporting documents.
- Create or sign in to the IRCC Portal. Select Visitor visa or super visa and then select the option to visit your children or grandchildren for more than 6 months.
- Complete the online application and upload the forms and documents shown on your personalized document checklist.
- Pay the $100 super visa fee if you require a temporary resident visa and pay the $85 biometrics fee if biometrics are required.
- Submit the complete application while you are outside Canada.
- If IRCC sends a biometric instruction letter, book an appointment and provide biometrics as soon as possible.
- Respond to any IRCC request for additional documents, an interview, police certificate or further medical information.
- If approved and you require a visa, follow IRCC's instructions to submit your passport to a visa application centre outside Canada. If you are visa-exempt, follow IRCC instructions for obtaining an eTA if required and use the super visa approval letter when travelling.
What is a Canadian super visa?
The super visa is a special temporary resident option for parents and grandparents of eligible people living in Canada. It allows longer visits than a standard visitor visa.
A super visa can provide multiple entries for up to 10 years. For applications made on or after June 22, 2023, an eligible visitor can generally stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time.
If you only intend to stay in Canada for 6 months or less, IRCC advises that a regular visitor visa may be more appropriate.
Who can apply for a parent or grandparent super visa?
You must be the biological or adopted parent or grandparent of your host in Canada.
Your host must:
- be your child or grandchild;
- be at least 18 years old;
- live in Canada;
- be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident of Canada or registered Indian;
- meet or exceed the minimum necessary income requirement; and
- write and sign a qualifying invitation letter.
You, as the applicant, must:
- be outside Canada when you submit the application;
- be admissible to Canada;
- have qualifying private health insurance;
- complete an immigration medical exam; and
- meet Canada's general visitor requirements.
Can a spouse or dependent child be included in the same super visa application?
No. IRCC states that dependants cannot be included in a super visa application. Each eligible parent or grandparent must meet the requirements for their own application.
What is the minimum income required for a super visa in 2026?
IRCC's current minimum necessary income table, updated July 29, 2025 and still published as the applicable table on August 25, 2026, lists the following amounts:
- 1 person: $30,526
- 2 people: $38,002
- 3 people: $46,720
- 4 people: $56,724
- 5 people: $64,336
- 6 people: $72,560
- 7 people: $80,784
- More than 7: add $8,224 for each additional person
The income amount you need depends on the host's calculated family size, not simply on the number of super visa applicants.
How do you calculate family size for the super visa income requirement?
IRCC requires the host to count several people when determining family size. This can include:
- the super visa applicant and any other super visa applicants the host will support;
- the host child or grandchild;
- the host's spouse, including in some circumstances a separated spouse, or common-law partner;
- dependent children of the host and of the host's spouse or common-law partner;
- certain previously approved super visa applicants covered by an invitation that is still applicable; and
- certain previously sponsored people whose sponsorship undertaking is still in effect.
Dependent children must be counted when they meet IRCC's definition even if custody or child support arrangements are different.
How did the super visa income rules change in 2026?
IRCC changed the super visa income calculation rules effective March 31, 2026.
There are now two main ways to prove the income requirement.
Option 1: Host income meets the full requirement
The host may show that their total income, including an eligible co-signer's income if applicable, met or exceeded the required amount in either of the 2 tax years before the application was submitted.
For this option, the host or co-signer must provide a Canada Revenue Agency notice of assessment.
Option 2: Host earns at least 75% and applicant adds income
The host may show that their income, including an eligible co-signer's income if applicable, in the year before the application was submitted was at least 75% of the minimum necessary income.
The super visa applicant may then add their own income to cover the remaining amount. The combined income must meet or exceed the full minimum necessary income requirement.
If an applicant contributes their own income, they must also provide proof that the income will continue while they are in Canada and the document must show the currency in which they are paid.
Who can co-sign the super visa invitation letter?
The host's spouse or common-law partner may co-sign the invitation letter if that person is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian.
Other relatives, such as the host's siblings, cannot co-sign for the purpose of combining income.
What documents can prove the host's income?
IRCC prefers a Canada Revenue Agency notice of assessment where applicable.
Under the income option that allows additional types of evidence, IRCC also identifies documents such as:
- T4 or T1 documents for the last tax year;
- pay stubs for the most recent available 12-month period;
- an original employer letter stating job title, job description and salary;
- bank statements from the last calendar year showing regular employment or pension deposits and investment income;
- pension statements; and
- rental property ownership and lease documents showing rental amount and payment frequency.
What must the invitation letter contain?
Your host child or grandchild must write and sign the invitation letter.
The letter must include:
- proof that the applicable minimum necessary income requirement is met;
- the number of people included in the family-size calculation; and
- the name and date of birth of each person included in that calculation.
An eligible spouse or common-law partner of the host can co-sign where permitted.
What health insurance is required for a super visa?
Super visa applicants must have private health insurance that satisfies IRCC's specific requirements.
The policy must:
- be valid for at least 1 year from the date you enter Canada;
- be paid in full or paid through instalments with a deposit, because an insurance quote alone is not accepted;
- cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation;
- provide at least $100,000 in emergency coverage;
- be valid for each entry to Canada; and
- be available to a border services officer on request.
Can super visa insurance be purchased from a company outside Canada?
Yes, but the insurer must meet IRCC's requirements.
The insurance may be provided by a Canadian insurance company or by a foreign insurance company that is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions under the Insurance Companies Act to provide accident and sickness insurance, appears on the applicable OSFI list and issued or made the policy while doing insurance business in Canada.
A policy issued by a qualifying foreign insurer must include a statement confirming that the policy was issued or made while the company was doing insurance business in Canada.
Do you need to keep super visa health insurance after entering Canada?
Yes. You must maintain health insurance coverage while you are in Canada.
If your policy will expire before you leave Canada, IRCC advises you to renew it. Proof of valid insurance can be required when you re-enter Canada.
Do super visa applicants need a medical exam?
Yes. An immigration medical examination is mandatory for super visa applicants.
The exam must be completed with an IRCC-approved panel physician. You must provide proof that the medical exam was completed.
How do you prove the host is eligible?
You must provide evidence showing that your host is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian.
Depending on the host's status, this may include:
- proof of Canadian citizenship;
- a permanent resident document; or
- a Secure Certificate of Indian Status or Certificate of Indian Status.
If the host's spouse or common-law partner is an eligible co-signer, corresponding proof of that person's status may also be required.
How do you prove you are the parent or grandparent?
IRCC accepts evidence such as:
- a copy of the host's birth certificate;
- a baptismal certificate; or
- another official document naming you as the host's parent or grandparent.
How to apply for a super visa online
You must be outside Canada when you submit a super visa application.
You can apply through the IRCC Portal. Some applicants may also qualify to use the newer version of the IRCC Portal.
- Sign in to the IRCC Portal.
- When asked what you want to apply for, select Visitor visa or super visa.
- When asked why you need a visitor visa, select To visit my children or grandchildren for more than 6 months (super visa).
- Answer the remaining application questions.
- Review your personalized document checklist.
- Upload your supporting forms and documents.
- Pay the required fees.
- Submit the complete application while outside Canada.
Can you apply for a super visa on paper?
The standard application is online. If you or your representative cannot apply online and require an accommodation, including because of a disability, IRCC allows you to request an application package in an alternate format such as paper, large print or braille.
How much does a super visa cost in 2026?
For applicants who require a temporary resident visa, the super visa processing fee is $100 per person.
If biometrics are required, the biometrics fee is $85.
You must separately pay for:
- the required private health insurance;
- the immigration medical exam;
- translations if needed; and
- other third-party documents or services required for the application.
Do visa-exempt parents or grandparents pay the super visa fee?
Under IRCC's current super visa instructions, visa-exempt applicants do not pay the super visa application fee or biometrics fee.
If the application is approved, IRCC may instruct the applicant to obtain an electronic travel authorization if one is required for travel to Canada. IRCC then provides a letter that the applicant shows to a border services officer on arrival.
Do you need biometrics for a super visa?
You may need to provide fingerprints and a photograph.
If biometrics are required, pay the biometrics fee when applying to avoid delays. After submission, wait for the biometric instruction letter and book your collection appointment as soon as possible.
IRCC also states that it cannot issue a super visa with a validity period extending beyond the validity of your biometrics.
How long does a super visa application take?
Processing times vary by the country where the application is processed.
IRCC considers factors such as whether the application is complete, how quickly information can be verified, how quickly the applicant responds to requests and whether additional steps are required.
The published super visa processing time does not include the time required to provide biometrics.
What happens after you apply?
IRCC checks whether the application includes all required documents and fees.
IRCC may ask you to:
- attend an interview;
- provide additional information;
- provide further medical information or complete an examination; or
- provide a police certificate.
An incomplete application may be refused.
What happens if the super visa is approved?
If you require a visa, IRCC sends instructions for submitting your passport to a visa application centre so the visa can be placed in the passport. IRCC states that the visa cannot be printed in Canada.
If you are visa-exempt, IRCC issues a letter to present to a border services officer when you arrive and may instruct you to obtain an eTA if required.
Does approval guarantee entry to Canada?
No. A super visa and valid travel document do not guarantee entry.
A Canada Border Services Agency officer makes the final entry decision when you arrive. You should carry the documents used for the super visa application and be prepared to show proof of paid health insurance.
You must continue to meet the admissibility and super visa conditions and satisfy the officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.
How long can you stay in Canada with a super visa?
If you applied for a super visa on or after June 22, 2023, you are eligible to stay for up to 5 years at a time.
The super visa itself may allow multiple entries for up to 10 years, depending on the validity issued by IRCC and the validity of documents such as your passport and biometrics.
Before your authorized stay expires, you must leave Canada or apply to extend your stay.
Can you extend a super visa stay from inside Canada?
Yes. A super visa holder may apply to extend their authorized stay from within Canada before their current visitor status expires. IRCC's parent and grandparent program information states that super visa visitors can apply for extensions of up to 2 years while in Canada.
Can you work or study in Canada on a super visa?
No. A super visa does not itself authorize employment or study in Canada.
Most visitors who want to work or study must qualify for and obtain the appropriate permit separately.
Is a super visa the same as sponsoring parents for permanent residence?
No. A super visa provides temporary resident status for extended visits. It does not grant permanent residence.
The Parents and Grandparents Program is a separate permanent residence sponsorship program. As of August 25, 2026, IRCC states that new intake under that program is paused and no new interest-to-sponsor forms or invitations will be accepted until further notice. The super visa remains available to eligible parents and grandparents seeking extended visits.
Super visa application checklist
- Confirm that you are an eligible parent or grandparent.
- Confirm that your child or grandchild is an eligible host living in Canada.
- Calculate the correct family size.
- Check the current minimum necessary income amount.
- Choose the appropriate 2026 income calculation option.
- Prepare the signed invitation letter.
- Gather proof of the host's income and Canadian status.
- Gather proof of your relationship to the host.
- Buy qualifying private medical insurance with at least $100,000 in emergency coverage.
- Complete the immigration medical exam with an approved panel physician.
- Check the local visa office requirements for the country where you apply.
- Apply through the IRCC Portal while outside Canada.
- Pay the application and biometrics fees if applicable.
- Provide biometrics promptly if requested.
- Monitor the application for IRCC requests.
- Carry your supporting documents and valid proof of insurance when travelling to Canada.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for a super visa in Canada?
The applicant must be the parent or grandparent of an eligible host who is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. The host must be at least 18, live in Canada, meet the income requirement and provide a signed invitation letter. The applicant must also meet insurance, medical examination and admissibility requirements.
How long can parents stay in Canada with a super visa?
For super visa applications made on or after June 22, 2023, eligible holders can generally stay in Canada for up to 5 years at a time.
How long is a Canadian super visa valid?
A super visa can provide multiple entries for a period of up to 10 years, subject to the validity IRCC issues and limits such as passport and biometrics validity.
How much is the super visa application fee in 2026?
The temporary resident visa fee is $100 per applicant if a visa is required. Biometrics cost $85 if required. Health insurance, the immigration medical exam and other third-party costs are additional.
What is the super visa income requirement for a family of 2?
The current IRCC table published on August 25, 2026 lists a minimum necessary income of $38,002 for a family size of 2.
Can the parent or grandparent's own income count toward the super visa requirement?
Yes, under the income rules effective March 31, 2026. If the host and eligible co-signer earned at least 75% of the required amount in the previous year, the applicant may add their own qualifying income to cover the remainder. The combined amount must meet the full minimum necessary income.
Can my spouse co-sign a super visa invitation for my parents?
Yes, if your spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. Other relatives such as siblings cannot co-sign for this purpose.
How much health insurance is required for a Canadian super visa?
The policy must provide at least $100,000 in emergency coverage, cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation, and be valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry.
Can I buy super visa insurance from a company outside Canada?
Yes, if the foreign insurer meets IRCC's requirements, including authorization under the Insurance Companies Act through OSFI and issuing the policy while doing insurance business in Canada.
Do I need a medical exam for a super visa?
Yes. All super visa applicants must complete an immigration medical examination with an IRCC-approved panel physician and provide proof of completion.
Can I apply for a super visa while I am already in Canada?
No. IRCC requires super visa applicants to be outside Canada when they submit the application.
Can a visa-exempt parent get a super visa?
Yes. Visa-exempt parents and grandparents can qualify for super visa status. If approved, IRCC issues a letter for presentation at the border and may direct the applicant to obtain an eTA if required.
Can I include my dependent children in my super visa application?
No. IRCC states that dependants cannot be included in a super visa application.
Can I work in Canada with a super visa?
No. A super visa does not authorize employment. You need separate authorization to work in Canada.
Is the super visa the same as permanent residence sponsorship for parents?
No. The super visa is for temporary extended visits. Parent and grandparent permanent residence sponsorship is a separate program.
What happens when my super visa health insurance expires?
You must maintain valid coverage while in Canada. If the policy will expire before you leave, IRCC advises you to renew it, and proof of valid insurance may be required when you re-enter Canada.
Official sources
IRCC - Super visa for parents and grandparentsIRCC - Super visa eligibilityIRCC - Super visa forms and documentsIRCC - Super visa proof of financial supportIRCC - Apply for a super visaIRCC - Super visa length of stayIRCC - After you apply for a super visaIRCC - Changes to super visa income requirements effective March 31, 2026IRCC - Ministerial Instructions regarding the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa 2026Related procedures
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