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Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2019, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia.
Updated November 12, 2026: IRCC’s super visa pages checked that day.
Super visa: up to 5 years per stay, but needs the host’s income, a year of insurance and a medical exam.
Visitor visa: usually up to 6 months per stay, with no income or insurance rule.
Why a lawyer: picking the wrong one can mean a refusal that follows your parent to the next application. Why a lawyer
Our immigration lawyers
Sundeep S. GrewalBarrister and Solicitor
Prabhpreet Kaur SanghaBarrister and Solicitor
Pardeep S. GrewalBarrister and SolicitorAbout our lawyers
Sundeep S. Grewal founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.
Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha focuses on refugee claims, immigration appeals, inadmissibility, detention reviews and Federal Court cases, and has presented at Continuing Legal Education seminars and the National Immigration Conference.
Pardeep S. Grewal is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.
Parents and grandparents can visit on either a regular visitor visa or a super visa, and the choice matters. A visitor visa usually allows stays of up to six months per entry and has no income or insurance requirement. A super visa allows stays of up to five years at a time, but the host must meet a minimum income, the parent must have a year of private medical insurance, and the parent must have an immigration medical exam. Both use the same basic test: the officer must be satisfied the parent will leave at the end of the stay. Families sometimes apply for a super visa they don’t qualify for, get refused, and then must disclose that refusal on every later application.
Lawgical Law Corporation, an immigration law firm in Surrey, Abbotsford and Vancouver, BC, advises families on super visa and visitor visa applications and challenges refusals; this guide is by Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha.
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Side by side
| Visitor visa | Super visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Anyone | Parents and grandparents of citizens, PRs and registered Indians |
| Stay per entry | Usually up to 6 months | Up to 5 years |
| Validity | Up to 10 years or passport expiry | Multiple entries for up to 10 years |
| Host income | Not required (funds still matter) | Minimum necessary income required |
| Insurance | Recommended | Required: 1 year, $100,000, Canadian or approved insurer |
| Medical exam | Sometimes | Required |
| Visitor test | Yes | Yes |
How to choose
- If the host clearly meets the income rule and the parent will stay longer than six months, a super visa usually fits.
- If income is short, or visits will be shorter, a visitor visa avoids an income-based refusal.
- If the parent was refused one, the next application should answer that refusal, whichever visa it is.
Why ask a lawyer which to apply for?
One lawyer, one file, every step:
- choosing the visa that fits your income and plans;
- building the application around the visitor test;
- handling an earlier refusal properly;
- challenging a refusal in the Federal Court if needed.
The wrong choice costs a refusal, and every refusal must be disclosed later. A lawyer weighs the income, the insurance, the medical and the ties before you choose.
Immigration lawyers are members of a provincial law society (in our case, the Law Society of British Columbia), and only a lawyer can take a refusal to the Federal Court. An immigration consultant cannot file or argue it there.
Mistakes I have seen
- Applying for a super visa when the host’s income falls short.
- Treating a visitor visa as a lesser application and sending a thin file.
- Switching visas after a refusal without answering the officer’s reasons.
Frequently asked questions
Can my parent switch from a visitor visa to a super visa in Canada?
A super visa application must be made from outside Canada.
Can my parent extend a visitor visa stay?
Yes, by applying for a visitor record from inside Canada before their status expires.
Is one easier to get?
Neither is automatic. The visitor test applies to both, and the super visa adds income, insurance and medical requirements.
What should I do right now?
Check whether the host meets the super visa income requirement, decide how long your parent will stay, and gather any earlier refusal letters.
Book a consultation with our immigration lawyers in Surrey, Abbotsford or Vancouver, or online from anywhere.
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Sources (official)
- IRCC: Parent and grandparent super visa (modified July 6, 2026)
- IRCC: Super visa eligibility (modified July 6, 2026)
- IRCC: Super visa, how long you can stay in Canada (modified July 6, 2026)
- Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s. 179
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its own facts.