This page provides general legal information. Your eligibility and best next step depend on your facts and the rules in force when action is taken.
Visitor versus Super Visa
A regular visitor visa is for temporary visits under the ordinary visitor framework. The Super Visa is specifically for eligible parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens, permanent residents or registered Indians and can permit stays of up to five years at a time, with multiple entries for up to ten years.
Current Super Visa requirements
The applicant must meet the visitor requirements and Super Visa-specific conditions. Current rules include host eligibility and income requirements, private health insurance meeting program criteria and an immigration medical examination.
Income rules changed in 2026
Effective March 31, 2026, IRCC changed how Super Visa family income can be calculated, including alternative assessment mechanisms involving the preceding taxation years and, in qualifying cases, income of the visiting parent or grandparent.
Parents and Grandparents Program
IRCC paused new intake under the Parents and Grandparents Program in July 2026 while continuing to process existing applications. This makes it especially important to distinguish permanent sponsorship from temporary Super Visa planning.
What to bring
Passports; host proof of Canadian status; family relationship documents; invitation details; host income records; proposed insurance; travel purpose; ties to home country; and any prior refusal records.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Canada.ca)