Host and applicant eligibility
The host
Your biological or adopted child or grandchild, who is at least 18, lives in Canada, is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian, writes and signs a letter of invitation, and meets the minimum necessary income.
The applicant
A parent or grandparent who is outside Canada when applying, is admissible, has qualifying private medical insurance, completes an immigration medical exam, and shows they are a genuine visitor with ties, a clear purpose and adequate finances.
- A parent's or grandparent's spouse or common-law partner may also be invited, with proof of the relationship.
- Dependent children cannot be included in a super visa application.
- For a stay of 6 months or less, IRCC suggests a regular visitor visa.
- Applicants from visa-exempt countries can also apply. If approved, they receive a letter to show the border officer, and an eTA if they fly.
- You may apply for a super visa while a parent or grandparent sponsorship application is pending.
Length of stay and visa validity
Validity
A multiple-entry visa valid for up to 10 years. It cannot be valid longer than your passport or your biometrics.
Five years per entry
If you applied or entered on or after June 22, 2023, you can stay up to 5 years at a time, even if your passport is not stamped.
Older cases
If you applied and entered before June 22, 2023, your stay is the period the border officer gave you. You can leave and re-enter, or apply from inside Canada to extend, for up to 2 more years.
Your responsibility
Before your status ends, leave Canada or apply to extend with a visitor record.
Minimum necessary income
The host must meet the minimum necessary income for the family size. Under the 2026 Ministerial Instructions, this amount is Statistics Canada's low-income cut-off for the family size, with nothing added. IRCC's current table (updated July 29, 2025):
| Family size | Minimum income (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 | $30,526 |
| 2 | $38,002 |
| 3 | $46,720 |
| 4 | $56,724 |
| 5 | $64,336 |
| 6 | $72,560 |
| 7 | $80,784 |
| Each additional person | + $8,224 |
Who counts in the family size
- the super visa applicant or applicants the host supports, such as the parent and their spouse;
- the host;
- the host's spouse or common-law partner, including a separated spouse;
- dependent children of the host and their spouse or partner, whatever the custody arrangement;
- earlier super visa applicants covered by a letter of invitation from the host or their spouse that still applies;
- people the host sponsored or co-signed for whose sponsorship undertaking is still in effect.
The applicant's other family members, for example siblings back home, are not counted. Use our super visa income calculator to work out the family size and threshold.
Two ways to meet the income requirement
From March 31, 2026, applications already in process and those submitted from that date are assessed under new rules. Families who met the old test still qualify.
- Option 1: full amount in either of the last two tax yearsThe host's income, plus the co-signer's if any, meets or exceeds the minimum in either of the two tax years before the application. Include the Canada Revenue Agency notice of assessment.
- Option 2: at least 75% from the host, plus the applicant's incomeThe host's income (with any co-signer) in the year before the application is at least 75% of the minimum, and the applicant's own income covers the rest so the total meets the full amount. If both parents or both grandparents apply, their income can be combined.
Host's evidence for Option 2
The notice of assessment is preferred. Otherwise a T4 or T1 for the last tax year, pay stubs for the most recent 12 months, an original employer letter, bank statements for the last calendar year, or other proof such as pension statements or rental leases.
Applicant's evidence
Proof of 12 months of income, for example pension statements, pay stubs, an employer letter for remote work with bank deposits, business or investment statements, or rental contracts with bank records. You must also show the income will continue while you are in Canada, and the currency it is paid in.
Foreign income is converted to Canadian dollars at the exchange rate on the application date. For an Iranian applicant, pension or rental income in rials will therefore be converted at that date's rate. Check whether it reliably covers the gap.
Medical insurance
- From a Canadian insurance company, or a foreign insurer authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) and listed by OSFI, which issued the policy while doing insurance business in Canada and says so. Brokers and claims administrators are not insurers.
- Valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry, and valid on each entry.
- At least $100,000 of emergency coverage, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation.
- Paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit. A quote is not accepted.
- Carry proof of the paid policy. The border officer may check it, and proof is required again on each re-entry.
- The policy must name the insurance company. Renew it if it will expire before you leave Canada.
Medical exam
Every super visa applicant must complete an immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician; your own doctor cannot do it. You can do it before applying (an upfront exam) or after IRCC sends instructions. Results are generally valid for 12 months.
Document checklist
- Letter of invitationWritten and signed by the host (and co-signer, if any). It must promise financial support for the whole visit and list everyone counted in the family size, with names and dates of birth, and the number of people.
- Proof of incomeAs described for Option 1 or Option 2 above.
- Proof of relationshipThe host's birth or baptismal certificate, or another official document naming you as the parent or grandparent. For a grandparent, include the documents that link each generation.
- Proof of the host's statusA copy of the host's citizenship or permanent resident document, or Certificate of Indian Status, and the co-signer's if any.
- Medical insuranceThe policy itself, not a quote, meeting every condition above.
- Medical examProof of the exam with a panel physician.
- Passport and visitor documentsThe same identity, ties and travel history documents as a visitor visa application, plus anything the visa office asks for.
- Translations and representative formTranslations of any document not in English or French, with a translator's affidavit unless the translator is certified in Canada. Form IMM 5476 if you use a representative.
How to apply
- Apply online from outside CanadaSign in to the IRCC Portal from outside Canada. Under "I want to apply for", choose "Visitor visa or super visa", and for the purpose choose visiting children or grandchildren for more than 6 months. Answer the questionnaire and upload the documents on your personalized checklist. The new version of the IRCC Portal is only for adults applying alone for the first time without a representative. Paper is only an accommodation, for example for a disability.
- Pay and submitPay the $100 visa fee and the $85 biometrics fee if needed, by credit card or Debit Mastercard or Visa Debit. Applicants from visa-exempt countries pay neither. Pay the biometrics fee when you apply to avoid delays.
- Give biometricsBook a VAC appointment as soon as you receive the instruction letter. Iranian applicants must go to a VAC outside Iran, for example in Türkiye, Armenia or the United Arab Emirates.
- Wait and answer requestsIRCC may ask for an interview, more information, a medical exam or a police certificate. An incomplete application may be refused. Processing times vary by country and do not include the time to give biometrics.
- Submit the passportIf approved, send your passport to a VAC as instructed. The visa cannot be printed inside Canada.
- ArriveKeep your passport and application documents in your hand luggage, and bring proof of paid insurance. A valid visa does not guarantee entry. If you pass the identity check and meet the entry requirements, the officer stamps your passport, granting a stay of 5 years.
Costs
| Item | Fee (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Super visa | $100 per person |
| Biometrics | $85 per person; $170 for 2 or more applying together |
| Extension inside Canada (visitor record) | $100 per person |
Insurance, the medical exam, translations and VAC service charges are separate, and their cost is not set by the government.
Frequently asked questions
Is meeting the income threshold enough?
No. The officer also assesses insurance, the medical exam, admissibility and whether you are a genuine temporary visitor.
Is the income requirement still LICO plus 30%?
No. Under the current rules, the minimum is the low-income cut-off for the family size, shown in the table above.
Can my brother or sister co-sign with me as the host?
No. Only the host's spouse or common-law partner can co-sign.
Can I apply from inside Canada?
No. You must be outside Canada when you apply, and the visa is printed abroad.
Does the invitation letter need to be notarized?
IRCC asks only that it be written and signed. Notarization is optional.
Can my parent work or study in Canada on a super visa?
No. A super visa does not allow work or study.
Must the insurance cover the whole five years?
The policy must be valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry and on each entry. Keep it valid while you are in Canada, and renew it if it will expire before you leave. Proof of valid insurance is required on re-entry.
Does a name change after applying matter?
Yes. If you legally change your name after applying, you must submit a name change request to IRCC. The documents depend on whether you are inside or outside Canada.
Can both of my parents be on one application?
Yes. A parent's spouse or common-law partner may also be invited, with proof of the relationship. Each person pays the fees and gives biometrics, and each person counts in the host's family size.
Official sources
- IRCC: Parent and grandparent super visa
- IRCC: Super visa eligibility
- IRCC: Super visa length of stay
- IRCC: Super visa forms and documents
- IRCC: Host financial support and family size
- IRCC notice: Changes to how the super visa income requirement is calculated (March 20, 2026)
- IRCC: Super visa program delivery instructions
- IRCC: Apply for a super visa
- IRCC: Super visa after you apply
- IRCC: Medical exams for temporary residents
- IRCC: Fee list
- Justice Laws: IRPA s. 29
This page is general information about Canadian immigration law and policy as of the date above. It is not legal advice for your situation. Programs, forms and fees change often; check the official sources before you apply.