Super visa for your parents: a checklist for the host in Canada

When parents apply for a super visa, much of the file actually rests on their child or grandchild in Canada: the host's status, income and invitation letter are part of the requirements. If you are the host, this is your checklist, followed by what your parents need to prepare on their side.

First, is the super visa the right choice?

The super visa lets parents and grandparents visit for up to five years at a time, with multiple entries for up to ten years. If your parents plan to stay six months or less, IRCC's guidance is to apply for a regular visitor visa instead. The super visa makes sense for long or repeated stays.

Keep in mind that a visa's validity is not the length of a stay, and that the border officer still decides on entry and its conditions.

The host's checklist

As the host, you must:

• be the applicant's child or grandchild, biological or adopted;
• be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a registered Indian;
• be at least 18 and live in Canada;
• meet the minimum necessary income for the size of your family unit;
• write and sign a letter of invitation.

The income requirement trips up many families. The threshold depends on how many people are in your family unit, and the way IRCC counts that unit matters, so check its table and calculation rather than guessing. Back up your income with consistent tax and financial documents.

Your letter of invitation should be specific: who you are to the applicant, why they are visiting, where they will stay, how long, and who covers which expenses. Check IRCC's page for the elements it expects.

Your parents' checklist

• Apply from outside Canada.
• Private medical insurance valid for at least one year from the date of entry, from a Canadian insurance company or a foreign company approved by the Minister. Check IRCC's current coverage requirements and read the policy's exclusions, especially for pre-existing conditions.
• An immigration medical exam.
• Proof of the family relationship, such as birth certificates.
• The general visitor requirements: a genuine visit, ties to their home country, and their family and financial situation.

Each parent applies separately: dependants cannot be included in a super visa application.

Filling in the application for your parents

Many hosts prepare everything online for their parents. That is fine, as long as the parent stays the applicant: the answers must reflect their situation, they should read the forms before submission, and if you act as their official representative, the right authorization form must be included. Check which travel document applies to their citizenship; parents from visa-exempt countries may still apply for a super visa, but usually need an eTA to fly to Canada.

Mistakes we see often

• Income documents that do not match the family unit declared.
• A vague invitation letter that does not say who pays for what.
• Insurance bought before reading the exclusions, or with dates that do not match the trip.
• Confusing the ten-year validity with a ten-year stay.
• Resubmitting an identical file after a refusal instead of addressing the reasons given.

Our visitor visa and super visa page explains how we help families, and our guide to visitor visa documents covers the shorter-stay option.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a super visa cost?

IRCC lists fees starting at $100. Biometrics, the medical exam and insurance are additional costs. Check the official fee page when you apply.

Can both parents apply together?

They can prepare their applications together, but each parent submits their own application and is assessed individually.

We also applied to sponsor my parents. Can they still get a super visa?

The two are separate processes. Declare the sponsorship application accurately and explain how your parents will respect the conditions of a temporary stay.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 11, 2026:

• IRCC — Super visa for parents and grandparents
• IRCC — Super visa: who can apply