Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents have a new option for visiting Canada – the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. This temporary pause will allow us to focus on those applicants already awaiting a decision and reduce the backlog in the parents and grandparents category.
Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents may be eligible to apply for the parent and grandparent super visa.
This visa is valid for up to 10 years and will let you visit your family in Canada for up to two years without renewing your status.
Who is eligible for a parent and grandparent super visa?
To be eligible for the super visa, applicants must be the parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Dependants of parents and grandparents are not eligible for the super visa. However, they can apply for a regular visitor visa. The super visa applicants must also be found admissible to Canada and meet some other conditions.
Visa officers consider several factors before deciding whether an applicant is admissible. Officers must believe the applicant is a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end of the visit.
Among the things the officer might consider are the following:
- The person’s ties to his or her home country
- The purpose of the visit
- The person’s family and financial situation
- The overall economic and political stability of the home country
- Invitations from Canadian hosts
The parent or grandparent must also do the following:
- Provide a letter promising financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada who has a minimum income;
- Prove he or she has Canadian medical insurance for at least one year to cover the time he or she will be in Canada; and
- Complete an immigration medical examination.
