Super Visa Mistakes That Get Applications Refused: 14 Errors

Super visa applications are refused for a short list of avoidable errors. On the insurance side: a quote instead of a paid policy, under $100,000, a term ending less than a year after entry, a certificate naming only a broker, or a home-country insurer not on OSFI’s list. On the host’s side: income below LICO or proven with the wrong documents, a letter of invitation missing the promise of support, or applying from inside Canada. IRCC approved 75 to 81 per cent of applications in recent years; most of the rest failed on paper.

The rules are on IRCC’s forms and documents and eligibility pages. The 14 mistakes below are the ways families fall short of them, in the order they usually happen.

Which insurance mistakes cause refusals?

Six. Each one contradicts a line of the IRCC insurance requirement, and an officer checking the certificate against that line has no discretion to overlook it.

#	Mistake	Why it fails	Fix
1	Uploading a quote, proposal or unpaid application	IRCC: paid in full or instalments with a deposit; “quotes aren’t accepted”	Pay, then upload the issued certificate
2	Coverage under $100,000	IRCC: minimum $100,000 emergency coverage per applicant	Buy $100,000 or more; see is $100,000 enough
3	Term ends less than a year after the planned entry	IRCC: valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry	Set the effective date to the arrival date; 365 days
4	Certificate names only the broker or claims administrator	Officer instructions: these “are not an insurance company”; the issuer must be identified	Ask for a certificate naming the underwriter; see sample certificate
5	Policy from a home-country insurer	Foreign insurer must be on OSFI’s list, authorized for accident and sickness, issuing in Canada with that statement	Buy from a Canadian insurer; see buying from outside Canada
6	One policy for two parents, or the wrong parent’s name	The requirement is per applicant; the certificate must match the passport	One certificate per applicant, names as in the passport

The foreign-insurer rule comes from IRCC’s 28 January 2025 notice and the test is OSFI’s register. Tata AIG, Bajaj Allianz, ICICI Lombard, Niva Bupa and Star Health are not on it. There is no IRCC-approved list, and no mainstream foreign retail product qualifies.

Which income and document mistakes cause refusals?

Five. The host’s income is the second pillar of the application and the one with the most moving parts since the March 2026 change.

#	Mistake	Why it fails	Fix
7	Income below LICO for the family size	Host “must provide proof that they meet or exceed the minimum necessary income”	Count everyone: household, the applicants, and anyone else sponsored; see the calculator
8	Wrong tax year, or no notice of assessment	Since 31 March 2026 either of the two preceding tax years may be used; the NOA is the primary proof	Use the better of the two years; attach the NOA, not only pay stubs
9	Co-signer used incorrectly	Only a spouse or common-law partner may co-sign; together they may meet 75% of LICO with the applicant’s own income covering up to 25%	Co-signer signs the letter and supplies their own NOA; see co-signer
10	Letter of invitation missing the promise of financial support	Officer instructions: the letter must include “a promise of financial support for the applicant for the length of the authorized stays”	Use the full checklist on invitation letter
11	Relationship not proven, or the wrong relationship	“Only biological or adopted children may invite their parents or grandparents”	Birth certificate or adoption order linking host to applicant; in-laws apply through the spouse

LICO from 29 July 2025 was $30,526 for one person, $38,002 for two, $46,720 for three, $56,724 for four, and $8,224 for each person after seven. The family size includes the host, the host’s dependants, and every parent or grandparent on the application. The proof of income documents page lists what to attach.

Which applicant-side mistakes cause refusals?

Three. These are about where the parent is, what the parent did, and what the parent said.

#	Mistake	Why it fails	Fix
12	Applying while the parent is in Canada	Eligibility: “be outside Canada when you submit your application”	Apply from the home country; a parent in Canada on a visitor visa waits or goes home first
13	Skipping or delaying the immigration medical exam	Eligibility: “take an immigration medical exam”; the file stalls without it	Book with a panel physician as soon as IRCC requests it; see medical exam
14	Inconsistent or untrue answers across forms	The officer checks “honest, complete information”; IRCC lists misrepresentation, “providing false information or withholding information,” as a ground of inadmissibility	Match dates, addresses and travel history across every form and the host’s letter

Biometrics belong here too: the $85 fee, $170 family cap, and a missed appointment that closes the file. The biometrics page has the steps.

What are the odds, and what happens after a refusal?

IRCC’s report to Parliament and its annual volumes put the approval rate at 75 to 81 per cent, with 53,695 super visas approved in 2024 and about 41,400 from January to September 2025. A refusal letter names the reason, and most reasons on this page are fixed by reapplying with the corrected document.

After a refusal	What to do
Read the refusal letter	The ground is stated; match it to the list above
Cancel the insurance before the effective date	Full refund at Manulife, 21st Century, Travelance and Destination; less an admin fee at GMS and Secure Travel; see how to get a refund if refused
Fix the document	New certificate, new NOA, revised letter
Reapply	A fresh application with fresh fees; processing from 44 to 265 days by country in September 2026
Consider the alternative	An ordinary visitor visa has no insurance or income rule but about a 50 per cent approval rate

The full route is on refused: what now. The checklist and the requirements page are the way to avoid needing it.

How do you check the application before submitting?

Print the certificate and the host’s letter and tick each line of the IRCC requirement against them. The whole check takes ten minutes and catches every insurance mistake on this list.

Certificate shows the parent’s name as in the passport.
Certificate shows the issuing insurance company, not only the brand or broker.
Emergency medical amount is $100,000 or more.
Effective date equals the planned arrival date; expiry is 365 days later.
Premium is marked paid, or the deposit is marked paid on an instalment plan.
The words health care, hospitalization and repatriation appear in the plan description.
The host’s letter promises financial support for the length of the stay and lists everyone in the household.
The NOA for the chosen tax year shows income at or above LICO for the counted family size.
The relationship document links the host to the applicant directly.
The parent is outside Canada on the day of submission.

If any line fails, fix it before paying the $100 application fee. The upload steps are on how to upload proof to IRCC.

Questions people ask

What is the most common insurance mistake on a super visa application?

Uploading a quote or an unpaid application instead of a paid certificate. IRCC's forms and documents page says the policy must be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit, and that quotes are not accepted. The second most common is a policy term that ends less than a year after the planned entry date.

Does the insurance certificate have to name the insurance company?

Yes. IRCC's officer instructions say proof may show the broker or claims administrator, but those are not insurance companies, and the name of the company that issued the policy must be identified. A certificate from 21st Century must show Manulife; from Secure Travel, iA Financial Group; from Destination, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Canadian Branch.

Can my parent use a travel policy from an insurer in India or the Philippines?

Not unless that insurer is on OSFI's list, authorized for accident and sickness insurance, and issued the policy in the course of its business in Canada with that statement on the document. Tata AIG, Bajaj Allianz, ICICI Lombard, Niva Bupa and Star Health are not on the list, and their policies lead to refusals.

Which tax year does IRCC use for income?

From 31 March 2026 the host may use either of the two preceding tax years. Alternatively, the host plus a co-signing spouse may meet 75 per cent of LICO with the applicant's own income covering up to 25 per cent. The notice of assessment is the primary proof; pay stubs and letters support it.

What is the approval rate?

IRCC approved 75 to 81 per cent of super visa applications in recent years, against roughly 50 per cent of ordinary visitor visas in 2025. Most refusals trace to the documents, not the parent. A refusal letter states the reason, and a corrected reapplication is common; the insurance premium is refundable with the letter.

If the visa is refused, do I lose the insurance premium?

No, at every insurer we compare, if you cancel before the effective date and send the IRCC refusal letter. Manulife, 21st Century, Travelance and Destination refund in full; GMS and Secure Travel deduct an administration fee. 21st Century and Travelance want the request within 30 days; MSH-administered plans within 60.

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14 mistakes that get super visa applications refused