At the port of entry, the CBSA officer checks that the super visa holder has paid health insurance valid for at least 1 year from that date of entry. The check applies on every entry, not only the first. IRCC’s after you apply page tells applicants to “be ready to show proof of paid health insurance” and to keep application documents out of checked luggage.
The visa gets the parent to the airport. The officer decides what happens next. A valid super visa does not guarantee entry, and the authorized stay of up to 5 years is set by the officer at the border, not by the visa.
What does the CBSA officer check at entry?
The officer checks identity against the application, the travel document and health. The officer checks insurance covering at least one year from entry, continued eligibility and admissibility. The officer also checks ties to the home country, intention to leave, and the honesty of the information given. Insurance is one line on that list, but it is the one the family controls completely.
| What the officer checks | Source | What to have ready |
|---|---|---|
| Identity matches the approved application | IRCC after-you-apply page | Passport with the visa; fingerprints at the kiosk |
| Valid travel document and good health | IRCC after-you-apply page | Passport valid beyond the intended stay |
| Health insurance covering at least one year from entry | IRCC after-you-apply page and officer instructions | Printed certificate showing effective and expiry dates |
| Insurer is an insurance company, not a broker | IRCC officer instructions | Certificate naming the underwriter |
| Ties to the home country | IRCC after-you-apply page | Property documents, job letter, family details |
| Intention to leave at the end of the visit | IRCC after-you-apply page | Return plan, the host’s letter |
| Honest, complete information | IRCC after-you-apply page | The same documents used in the application |
The officer instructions say the policy should “be available for review by the border services officer on request” and that the officer “should be satisfied that the applicant has the appropriate health insurance policy for a full year on each entry (initial and subsequent), regardless of the applicant’s method of payment.” That last phrase confirms that monthly plans pass. The deposit must be paid and the term must be a full year.
How should the parent carry proof?
Printed certificate in the hand luggage, with the policy wording, plus a PDF on the phone and a copy with the host in Canada. The officer may not ask, but if asked, the parent should be able to produce it in under a minute without unlocking anything.
| Document | Format | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Insurance certificate | Printed, two copies | Hand luggage; one with the passport |
| Policy wording | Printed or PDF | Hand luggage or phone |
| Host’s letter of invitation and income proof | Printed | Hand luggage |
| Emergency assistance card with the policy number | Wallet | On the person |
| All of the above | Host’s phone and email |
The certificate must show the insured’s name as on the passport, the underwriter, $100,000 or more of emergency medical coverage, and effective and expiry dates at least 365 days apart. See the sample certificate for a field-by-field check.
Why does the year run from the date of entry, not the purchase date?
IRCC’s rule is that the policy must be “valid for a minimum of 1 year from the date of entry,” as stated on the forms and documents page. A policy bought in March with a March effective date, for a parent who arrives in May, has only ten months left at the border. That fails the test.
Set the effective date to the arrival date. If the flight moves, move the effective date before it begins; every insurer we compare allows this at no charge. If the parent arrives a day early, they are uninsured for that day and the certificate still shows ten months and three weeks at the border. Match the dates exactly.
What about re-entry after a trip home?
The one-year test applies on each entry. A parent who leaves Canada after eight months and returns two months later has only a few months left on the original policy at re-entry. The officer can refuse entry, grant a short stay, or admit them. Renew or extend before the return flight so the certificate shows a full year from the re-entry date.
| Scenario | Policy status at re-entry | Officer’s likely view |
|---|---|---|
| Returns after a 3-week trip in month 2 | 10 months left | Short of a year; usually admitted but at discretion |
| Returns after a 2-month trip in month 9 | 1 month left | Fails the test; renewal needed before the flight |
| Policy renewed for a new year starting on the re-entry date | 12 months | Passes |
| Policy lapsed during the trip home | None | Entry can be refused |
Allianz pauses coverage during trips to the home country, which does not change the expiry date but does mean the parent is uninsured while away. See side trips for the 51 per cent rule and the Allianz pause, and renewals for how to line up a new policy with a re-entry date.
What is the risk of a lapsed policy?
A lapsed policy means no insurance and no compliance. At the border the officer can refuse entry or shorten the stay. Inside Canada, a hospital admission is billed at full cost; the $96,311 Hamilton bill is the scale. The super visa itself is not cancelled, but a future entry will be scrutinized.
Lapses happen in three ways: a monthly payment fails, an annual policy expires in year two without renewal, or a start date is never moved after a long processing delay. Each is avoidable. Enable auto-pay, diarize the expiry 60 days ahead, and move the effective date the day the visa is issued. The refunds page covers what happens if the trip is cancelled altogether.
Questions people ask
What does CBSA ask about insurance at the border?
The officer may ask to see proof of paid health insurance that covers at least one year from the date of entry. IRCC's own guidance tells applicants to be ready to show proof of paid health insurance. The officer checks the insurer's name, the coverage amount, and the effective and expiry dates against the arrival date.
Does the one-year rule restart on every entry?
Yes. IRCC's officer instructions say the officer should be satisfied the applicant has the appropriate policy for a full year on each entry, initial and subsequent. If a parent goes home for two months and returns, the policy must still have at least a year left on the day they re-enter, or be renewed before the trip back.
Should the certificate be printed or on a phone?
Printed, in the hand luggage, with a copy on the phone as backup. IRCC advises keeping application documents out of checked luggage. Airport Wi-Fi and phone batteries fail; a printed PDF does not. Carry the policy wording as well, in case the officer asks what repatriation is covered.
What happens if the policy has lapsed when the parent arrives?
The officer can refuse entry, admit the parent for a shorter period such as six months, or admit them with a condition to obtain insurance. None of these is guaranteed. A valid super visa does not guarantee entry. Fix the insurance before the flight; it takes 10 minutes online.
Can the stamp be for less than five years?
Yes. The officer decides the authorized stay at entry. The super visa allows up to 5 years per entry, but the officer can grant less, and insurance that covers only part of the intended stay is one reason to do so. Keep the policy renewable and the first year fully covered.
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