The parent applies online through the IRCC Portal from outside Canada, selecting “To visit my children or grandchildren for more than 6 months (super visa)” as the reason for the visit, per IRCC’s how to apply page. The portal then produces a personalized checklist. The parent uploads the host’s signed letter of invitation with income proof, the paid $100,000 insurance certificate, the medical exam confirmation, proof of relationship and of the host’s status, pays $100 plus $85 biometrics, and gives biometrics after the instruction letter arrives.
Allow two to four weeks to gather documents before submission, and 44 to 116 days for a decision depending on the country, per the processing times by country page.
What do you need before you start?
Every document in the list below, scanned, before the parent opens the portal. The application is submitted in one sitting and IRCC may refuse an incomplete file rather than ask for the missing piece.
| Document | Who provides it | Note | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter of invitation, signed | Host | Promise of support, family-size list with names and dates of birth, list of income providers and their documents | IRCC forms and documents |
| Income proof | Host and co-signer | Notice of Assessment preferred; T4 or T1, pay stubs, employer letter, bank statements if no NOA | IRCC proof of financial support |
| Applicant income proof | Parent, only under the 75% + 25% option | Pay stubs, employer letter, pension or bank statements showing currency | IRCC proof of financial support |
| Host status proof | Host (and co-signer) | Citizenship certificate, PR card or status card | IRCC forms and documents |
| Proof of relationship | Parent | Host’s birth certificate or other official document naming the applicant as parent or grandparent | IRCC forms and documents |
| Insurance certificate | Parent (bought by either) | Paid, names the underwriter, $100,000, 1 year from entry | IRCC forms and documents |
| Medical exam confirmation | Parent | Upfront exam with a panel physician | IRCC medical exams |
| Passport | Parent | Valid; visa validity cannot exceed passport validity | IRCC how to apply |
| Local visa office documents | Parent | Varies by office | IRCC forms and documents |
| Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) | Only if used | Newer portal version unavailable with a representative | IRCC how to apply |
| Translations with affidavit | Parent | For any document not in English or French | IRCC forms and documents |
A credit card, Debit MasterCard or Visa Debit, a printer for the receipt, and a scanner or camera are also needed.
How do you apply, step by step?
- Buy the insurance first. Choose a $100,000 policy from a Canadian insurer, with a start date that can be moved before it begins and a full refund on an IRCC refusal letter. Pay in full or by instalments with a deposit. Download the certificate that names the underwriter; a quote is not accepted. See the sample certificate.
- Book the medical exam. Find a panel physician on IRCC’s list and tell the clinic it is an upfront exam for a super visa. Keep the confirmation document. Details on the medical exam page.
- Have the host write and sign the letter of invitation. Include the promise of financial support, the co-signer’s name if any, every person in the family-size count with dates of birth, and the list of income documents attached. Template outline on the invitation letter page.
- Assemble income proof. The host’s Notice of Assessment for either of the two preceding tax years is the primary evidence under the first option; see proof of income documents.
- Create the IRCC Portal account. The parent signs in from outside Canada. The newer portal version is only for applicants 18 or over, applying alone, with no previous IRCC application and no representative.
- Answer the questionnaire. Choose “Visitor visa or super visa” and then “To visit my children or grandchildren for more than 6 months (super visa)”. The portal generates the personalized document checklist.
- Upload every document. Upload the insurance certificate under proof of health insurance, the letter of invitation and income proof under the host’s financial support, and the medical confirmation under medical exam.
- Pay the fees. $100 for the visa plus $85 for biometrics per person, family maximum $170 for biometrics. Paying biometrics at submission avoids delay, per IRCC.
- Submit. Keep the confirmation and the receipt.
- Give biometrics. Wait for the biometric instruction letter, then book a visa application centre appointment as soon as it arrives. Bring the letter and passport. See biometrics.
- Respond to any request. IRCC may ask for an interview, more information, a police certificate or a medical exam. Reply by the deadline in the message.
- Submit the passport when approved. IRCC sends a letter with instructions to send the passport to a visa application centre for the visa to be printed; the visa cannot be printed in Canada, per the after you apply page.
Visa-exempt parents skip the fees and the passport step; they receive a letter to show the border officer and may need an eTA to fly.
Where does the insurance go, and what must it show?
Under proof of health insurance in the personalized checklist, as the certificate or confirmation of coverage. IRCC’s forms and documents page lists what the document must show, and officers check each line.
| Requirement | What the certificate must show |
|---|---|
| Insurer | Names the insurance company that issued the policy (the underwriter), not only the broker or claims administrator |
| Amount | Minimum $100,000 emergency coverage per applicant |
| Benefits | Health care, hospitalization and repatriation |
| Term | Valid at least 1 year from the date of entry, and on each entry |
| Payment | Paid in full, or in instalments with a deposit; quotes not accepted |
| Origin | Canadian insurer, or a foreign insurer authorized by OSFI for accident and sickness, on OSFI’s list, with a statement that the policy was issued in the course of its insurance business in Canada |
Because the decision may take 44 to 116 days or longer, buy a policy whose effective date can be changed before it starts. The policy must then cover one year from the actual date of entry, not from the date it was bought.
How long does the application take?
Two to four weeks to prepare, then IRCC’s service standard of 112 days, with September 2026 actuals of 70 days for India, 92 for Pakistan, 90 for the Philippines and 44 for Nigeria. Biometrics add the time to get an appointment, and a medical exam done after submission adds the clinic’s reporting time. The processing times page has the full table and the IRCC tool.
What if something goes wrong?
Fix the specific gap and reapply, or respond to IRCC’s request by its deadline. If IRCC asks for more information, upload it through the portal within the time given. If the application is refused, the letter states the reason; the refusal guide covers reapplying and the insurance refund. If the panel physician’s results are delayed, contact the clinic, not IRCC. If the passport request letter does not arrive within the processing time shown by IRCC’s tool, use the IRCC web form to ask for a status update.
SuperVisaDirect is operated by Super Visa Direct Insurance Services, an independent Ontario life and accident-and-sickness insurance agency licensed by FSRA (licence [FSRA-LICENCE]), serving Ontario residents; British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are planned for 2028. Designated licensed agent: Cameron Hayes. We arrange the insurance step and do not give immigration advice. Email [email protected] or request a callback, Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm Eastern Time. The complete checklist is printable.
Questions people ask
Who submits the super visa application, the parent or the host?
The parent, from outside Canada, in their own IRCC Portal account. The host prepares the letter of invitation, the income documents and usually the insurance purchase, and sends them to the parent to upload. A host may act as the parent's representative with form IMM 5476, but the newer portal version is not available when a representative is used.
What documents do I need before I start the online application?
The signed letter of invitation with income proof and family-size list, the host's citizenship or PR document, proof of the parent-child relationship, the paid insurance certificate naming the underwriter, the panel physician's medical exam confirmation if done upfront, a valid passport, and any documents the local visa office asks for. Translations need an affidavit.
Where do I upload the insurance certificate?
In the personalized document checklist the portal generates after the eligibility questionnaire, under proof of health insurance. Upload the certificate or confirmation of coverage, not the quote. IRCC says quotes are not accepted; the document must show the policy is paid in full or in instalments with a deposit, and must name the insurer.
How much does the super visa application cost?
$100 for the visa and $85 for biometrics per person, with a family maximum of $170 for biometrics. Visa-exempt applicants pay neither. The medical exam is paid separately to the panel physician, and the insurance premium is paid to the insurer before the application is submitted.
Can I do the medical exam before applying?
Yes. IRCC allows an upfront medical exam for super visa applicants. Contact a panel physician directly, complete the exam, and upload the confirmation document with the application. Without an upfront exam, IRCC sends a Medical Report form after submission and the exam adds time to processing.
What happens if the application is incomplete?
IRCC may refuse it. The after-you-apply page says an incomplete application may be refused and IRCC will send an explanation. The commonest gaps are a quote instead of a paid policy, missing income proof for a co-signer, and a letter of invitation without dates of birth for everyone in the family-size count.
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 — Super visa: how to apply
- IRCC — Super visa: forms and documents
- IRCC — Super visa: proof of financial support
- IRCC — Super visa: after you apply
- IRCC — Medical exams for visitors, students and workers
- IRCC — How to give biometrics
- IRCC — Biometrics fees and exemptions
- IRCC — Super visa: officer instructions