{"id":2473,"date":"2026-11-12T20:51:59","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T20:51:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/super-visa-vs-visitor-visa\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T20:51:59","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T20:51:59","slug":"super-visa-vs-visitor-visa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/super-visa-vs-visitor-visa\/","title":{"rendered":"Super visa vs visitor visa for parents: which should you apply for?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 12, 2026<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 12, 2026: IRCC’s super visa pages checked that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Super visa:<\/strong> up to 5 years per stay, but needs the host’s income, a year of insurance and a medical exam.<\/p>\n

Visitor visa:<\/strong> usually up to 6 months per stay, with no income or insurance rule.<\/p>\n

Why a lawyer:<\/strong> picking the wrong one can mean a refusal that follows your parent to the next application. Why a lawyer<\/a><\/p>\n

Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our immigration lawyers<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PrabhpreetPrabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
\n

Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and argues immigration cases at the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Federal Court of Canada.<\/p>\n

Prabhpreet Kaur Sangha<\/a><\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is an immigration and estates lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, 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.<\/p>\n

Side by side<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Super visa vs visitor visa<\/caption>\n
<\/th>\nVisitor visa<\/th>\nSuper visa<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Who<\/td>\nAnyone<\/td>\nParents and grandparents of citizens, PRs and registered Indians<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Stay per entry<\/td>\nUsually up to 6 months<\/td>\nUp to 5 years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Validity<\/td>\nUp to 10 years or passport expiry<\/td>\nMultiple entries for up to 10 years<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Host income<\/td>\nNot required (funds still matter)<\/td>\nMinimum necessary income required<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Insurance<\/td>\nRecommended<\/td>\nRequired: 1 year, $100,000, Canadian or approved insurer<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Medical exam<\/td>\nSometimes<\/td>\nRequired<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Visitor test<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\nYes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

How to choose<\/h2>\n