If you live in Canada and want your parents or grandparents to stay with you for longer than a typical visit, the Super Visa is often the best option. Unlike a regular visitor visa, it allows multi-year stays and multiple entries over many years. This guide walks through eligibility, the medical-insurance requirement, length of stay, and how it compares to a standard visitor visa — all based on official IRCC sources.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice; consult a licensed consultant or lawyer for your specific case.
The Super Visa is a special visitor visa designed exclusively for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Its biggest advantage: holders can stay for up to five years per entry (per the IRCC page) without needing to extend their status, and the visa allows multiple entries during its validity. It is not permanent residence and does not grant work or long-term study rights — it is a visitor visa with much more generous terms. For many Iranian families for whom the Parents and Grandparents Program (PGP) sponsorship isn't accessible, the Super Visa is the most practical way to be together.
The applicant must be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, who acts as the "host" in Canada. The host must provide a letter of invitation with a promise of financial support, and their income must meet IRCC's minimum income threshold — these figures are updated regularly, so check the current numbers on the official IRCC eligibility page. The applicant must hold valid medical insurance (see next section), complete an immigration medical exam if required, and satisfy the visa officer that they will leave Canada at the end of their stay. People who are inadmissible cannot qualify. Note that the applicant's spouse can be included on the same application, but dependent children cannot.
Medical insurance is the heart of a Super Visa application — without it, the application will be refused. Per IRCC's official page, the policy must be valid for at least one year from the date of entry, cover emergency health care, hospitalization and repatriation, and provide at least CAD $100,000 in coverage. It must be purchased from a Canadian insurance company or a foreign provider approved by the Government of Canada — see the IRCC page for the current list and conditions. A border officer may ask for proof of paid insurance on arrival, so travel with the policy documents. Premiums vary by age and medical history; get quotes from several providers and ask specifically about coverage for pre-existing conditions.
Important: The insurance must be valid and paid at each entry to Canada. For stays longer than one year, renew the policy before it expires — staying without valid coverage is a serious financial risk (hospital costs in Canada are very high) and may breach the visa conditions.
Per the IRCC page, Super Visa holders can stay up to five years per entry and may apply from inside Canada to extend their stay. The visa itself is multiple-entry and is typically valid for up to 10 years (or until the passport expires, whichever comes first), so parents can travel back and forth without applying for a new visa each time. The exact authorized stay for each entry is set by the border officer and recorded at entry — always note that date. If your parents plan frequent trips between Iran and Canada, check their passport's remaining validity before applying, since the visa cannot outlast the passport.
A regular visitor visa (TRV) can also be multiple-entry and valid for up to 10 years, but the authorized stay per entry is usually six months at most, and longer stays require extensions from within Canada. The Super Visa removes that limit, enabling multi-year stays without repeated extensions. In exchange, it has extra requirements: host income proof, mandatory medical insurance, and a medical exam if required. Rule of thumb: for short, occasional visits, a visitor visa is simpler and cheaper; for long stays — helping with grandchildren or living near family for years — the Super Visa is the right tool. Remember it's only for parents and grandparents; siblings and other relatives need a visitor visa.
Super Visa applications must be made from outside Canada, normally online through an IRCC account. Core documents include the host's letter of invitation and promise of financial support, the host's proof of income (such as a Notice of Assessment), proof of relationship (e.g., a translated birth certificate), the medical-insurance policy, and a valid passport. Applicants typically need to give biometrics (fingerprints and photo) and may be asked to complete a medical exam. Fees and processing times change over time — check the current figures with IRCC's official Check processing times tool. Persian-language documents need certified translations; a complete, well-organized file reduces the chance of delays and requests for more documents.
Key takeaways
سوپر ویزا فقط برای والدین و پدربزرگها/مادربزرگهای شهروندان و مقیمان دائم کاناداست و اقامت تا پنج سال در هر ورود را ممکن میکند.
بیمهٔ درمانی با پوشش حداقل ۱۰۰,۰۰۰ دلار و اعتبار یکساله الزامی است و باید در هر ورود معتبر و پرداختشده باشد.
میزبان در کانادا باید حداقل درآمد تعیینشدهٔ IRCC را داشته باشد و دعوتنامه و تعهد مالی بنویسد؛ ارقام فعلی را در سایت IRCC ببینید.
For short visits a visitor visa is simpler; for long family stays, the Super Visa is the right choice.