Apply online to IRCC for a visitor record at least 30 days before the authorized stay ends, and renew the insurance first so the certificate covers the period you request. IRCC’s visitor record instructions set the 30-day rule. The fee list shows $100 per person to extend a stay as a visitor. A super visa stay can be extended by up to 2 years.
The initial authorized stay is up to 5 years per entry, per the officer instructions. The officer writes the actual end date at entry, and it is often shorter than 5 years. Check the passport stamp or the CBSA entry record before assuming anything.
What do you need before you start?
The authorized stay end date, the current insurance certificate, a renewed or extended certificate covering the requested period, the parent’s passport, proof the host still meets the income requirement, and a short letter explaining why the parent wants to stay longer.
| Item | Why |
|---|---|
| Authorized stay end date | The application must be in at least 30 days before it |
| Renewed insurance certificate | Must cover the extension period requested |
| Parent’s passport, valid for the extension period | IRCC will not extend beyond passport validity |
| Host’s income evidence | The super visa income test is applied again in practice; see requirements |
| Letter explaining the reason and the requested end date | Credibility; match the date to the insurance expiry |
| IRCC account login | The application is online |
How long does it take?
An hour to prepare and submit. Processing times for visitor records vary and IRCC’s page shows them dynamically; check it the day you apply. If the application is in before expiry, section 183(5) of the Regulations extends the authorized period until a decision is made, so apply early and wait.
The 8 steps
- Find the authorized stay end date. Passport stamp, handwritten date, or the CBSA travel history. If there is no date written, the default for a super visa entry is 5 years, but confirm with the entry record.
- Count back 30 days and mark the application deadline. Count back 90 days and mark the insurance renewal date.
- Renew or extend the insurance to cover the requested extension. Use the renewal steps. GMS’s wording requires extensions before expiry, caps total GMS coverage at one year, and will not extend at age 80 or over, so a new policy may be needed.
- Decide the requested end date. Match it to the new insurance expiry and to a stated reason, such as the birth of a grandchild or a family event. Up to 2 years is permitted for super visa holders.
- Write the explanation letter. One page: who the parent is, the host’s details, the reason, the requested date, confirmation that insurance covers it, and that the parent will leave at the end.
- Submit the visitor record application online and pay $100. Upload the passport, the current and renewed insurance certificates, the host’s status document and income evidence, and the letter.
- Keep the submission confirmation. It is the evidence of maintained status while the decision is pending.
- When the visitor record arrives, diarize the new end date and the insurance expiry together. They should be the same week.
How do the insurance and the stay line up?
The insurance term and the authorized stay are separate clocks that must overlap completely. The insurance clock resets every year at renewal. The stay clock resets only when IRCC issues a visitor record, or when the parent leaves and re-enters.
| Timeline | Insurance action | IRCC action |
|---|---|---|
| Entry day | Policy year 1 begins; must run 1 year from this date | Officer sets authorized stay, up to 5 years |
| Day 335 | Renew for year 2, effective day 366 | None |
| 90 days before authorized stay ends | Renew or extend so cover reaches the requested new end date | Prepare the visitor record application |
| 30 days before authorized stay ends | Certificate in hand | Submit the application; status preserved while pending |
| Decision | None | Visitor record sets the new end date, up to 2 years later |
| Any trip outside Canada | Policy must still be valid for a full year at re-entry | Re-entry is on the super visa, not the visitor record |
A visitor record does not survive departure. If the parent leaves Canada during the extended period, the next entry is assessed afresh on the super visa, and the officer will look for a full year of insurance from that date. See the side trips page before booking.
What if it goes wrong?
Missing the deadline, a certificate that ends too early, and a parent who has aged out of their insurer are the three common problems. None is fatal if caught before the authorized stay ends.
| Problem | What to do |
|---|---|
| Fewer than 30 days left | Apply immediately anyway; applying before expiry is what preserves status |
| Status already expired | Apply for restoration within 90 days at $246.25, per the IRCC fee list |
| Insurance ends before the requested date | Renew first, then apply; or request a shorter extension matching the certificate |
| GMS will not extend (age 80, or one-year cap reached) | Buy a new policy elsewhere with no gap; Secure Travel issues to 90, TuGo has no maximum |
| Host’s income has fallen below LICO | Get advice before applying; the requirements page has the 2026 thresholds |
| Parent wants to work or study during the extension | A visitor record does not permit work; see work or study |
IRCC’s extend your stay page is the official entry point and states that “a visitor record is not a visa.”
Questions people ask
What is a visitor record?
A status document that IRCC issues to a foreign national who is in Canada and wants to stay beyond the period authorized at entry. IRCC's instructions say it is not a visa. It sets a new end date for the stay and does not permit work or study beyond what a visitor may do.
When must the application be submitted?
IRCC's operational instructions say a temporary resident should apply at least 30 days before their status expires. Applying before expiry preserves status while the decision is pending. Applying after expiry means applying for restoration instead, within 90 days, at a higher fee.
How much does it cost?
IRCC's fee list shows $100 per person to extend a stay as a visitor and $246.25 to restore status as a visitor, with no visa fee needed for restoration. Biometrics are normally already on file from the super visa application. Insurance for the extension period is extra.
Does the insurance have to cover the whole extension?
The IRCC guidance says insurance should be renewed if it will expire before the parent leaves. Officers assessing an extension expect coverage for the period requested. A certificate that ends halfway through the requested extension invites refusal or a shorter extension. Renew first, then apply.
How long can the extension be?
IRCC permits super visa holders to extend their stay in Canada by up to 2 years beyond the initial period. The officer decides the actual length. Requesting a period that matches the insurance term and the stated reason is more credible than asking for the maximum.
What if the parent's status has already expired?
Apply for restoration within 90 days of losing status, per IRCC's visitor record instructions. The fee is $246.25. The parent must stop any activity that requires status and must not leave and re-enter expecting the super visa alone to fix it. Keep the insurance in force throughout.
Get the policy IRCC requires, in minutes
Three questions, one price, one button. The certificate your parent needs is emailed the same day.
Sources
- IRCC — Visitor record: operational instructions (30 days before expiry, restoration within 90 days)
- IRCC — Fee list (extend your stay as a visitor $100; restore status $246.25)
- IRCC — Extend your stay in Canada as a visitor
- IRCC — Super visa: forms and documents (renew insurance if it expires before you leave)
- IRCC — Super visa: officer instructions (5 years per entry)
- GMS — Immigrants and Visitors to Canada policy wording (extensions before expiry, 1-year maximum)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s. 183(5)-(6) (status continues while an extension is pending)