Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents have a new option for visiting Canada. As of December 1, 2011, you may be eligible to apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa and enjoy visiting your family in Canada for up to two years without the need to renew your status.

Determine your eligibility – Visit your children or grandchildren

To apply for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, you must:

• • be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;

  • be found admissible to Canada; and

  • meet certain other conditions.

Note: You cannot include dependants in this application. Only your spouse or common-law partner is eligible to accompany you under this provision.

Visa officers consider several factors before deciding if a person is admissible. The person must be a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end of the visit. Among the things that could be considered are:

• • the person’s ties to the home country;

  • the purpose of the visit;

  • the person’s family and financial situation;

  • the overall economic and political stability of the home country; and

  • an invitation from a Canadian host.

In addition to being found admissible to Canada, the parent or grandparent must also:

• • provide a written commitment of financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada who meets a minimum income threshold;

  • prove that they have bought Canadian medical insurance coverage for at least one year; and

  • complete an Immigration Medical Examination.

In order to obtain a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, you will need to submitan Application for a Temporary Resident Visa [IMM 5257](PDF, 273KB) to a visa office and provide certain additional documents to support your application.

Note: You may request a multiple entry visa for up to ten years if you submit the multi-entry fee along with your application.

Visa-exempt visitors

If you do not need a visitor visa to enter Canada, you are still eligible for the benefits of the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa.

If you would like to enjoy a two-year authorized stay in Canada, you must:

• • submit an Application for a Temporary Resident Visa [IMM 5257] to the nearest visa office; and

  • provide additional supporting documents with the application.

If the application is approved, you will be issued a letter to present to a Canada Border Services Agency officer at the port of entry when you arrive in Canada. The officer may authorize a visit to Canada for up to two years.

Note: Visitors from visa-exempt countries do not need to submit fees with their application.

Steps to apply for a visa

1. Determine how you will apply

There are two ways you can apply:

Apply online

To apply online you must have access to a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents for uploading and have a valid credit card for payment. Determine your eligibility and apply online.

Apply on paper

Please follow steps 2 to 4 below.

2. Get the application package

The package includes the application guide and all the forms you need to fill out. Download the application package.

Read the guide carefully before you complete the application form. The fee for processing your form is not refundable, so make sure to provide all the requested information or documents.

Each individual applicant must submit a completed temporary resident visa application form.

All required documents must be included with your application:

• • You must have a valid travel document (such as a passport).

  • You must provide two recent photographs of each family member. Make sure these photographs meet the requirements.

  • You must enclose the application fee, unless you are from a visa-exempt country. Your fee will not be refunded, even if your application is not approved.

  • You must provide proof that you have enough money for your visit to Canada. The amount of money may vary depending on the circumstances of your visit, how long you will stay and whether you will stay in a hotel, or with friends or relatives. You can get more information from the Canadian visa office in your country or region.

  • You may need to include other documents. These documents could be identification cards, proof of employment, a letter of invitation from relatives or friends in Canada, or a proposed itinerary. Check the website of the visa office responsible for the country or region where you live for more information.

To get a Parent or Grandparent Super Visa, you also need to provide:

• • Evidence of the parent or grandparent relationship to the Canadian citizen or permanent resident you wish to visit (for example, birth certificate, baptismal certificate or other official document naming you as a parent);

  • Letter of invitation from your child or grandchild that includes arrangements for care as well as support and indicates the number of people residing in their household in Canada (mandatory);

  • Proof from your child or grandchild that he or she meets the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO); and

  • Proof that you have private medical insurance valid for a minimum of one year from a Canadian insurance company and that it:

    • • covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation;

      • provides a minimum coverage of $100,000; and

      • is valid for each entry into Canada and available for review by a port of entry officer.

Note: You will be required to undergo an immigration medical exam. Instructions on completing the exam will be provided to you by the visa office.

3. Pay your application fees

The fee per person is $150 for a multiple entry visa or $75 for a single entry visa.

Check the website of the visa office responsible for the country or region where you live for more information on fees, including how to pay them.

Note: Visitors from visa-exempt countries do not need to submit fees with their application.

4. Submit your application

When you have completed the application forms, make sure you sign and date them, and that all required documents and fees are included in the envelope. In most countries, application fees must be paid in Canadian dollars. You must send your application to the Canadian visa office in the country or region where you live. Check the guide in your application package for instructions.

Processing time

How long it takes to process your application varies depending on the visa office where you applied.

For more information, see application processing times.

Interview with a visa officer

You may need to go for an interview with a visa officer.

For more information about interviews, see After you apply: get next steps.

Medical exam

You will need a medical exam to be allowed to enter Canada under the new Parent and Grandparent Super Visa. A Canadian immigration officer will send you instructions about what to do.

For more information, see medical exams.

Using a representative

You do not need a representative to apply to visit or immigrate to Canada. Whether you use a representative or not is a personal choice.