1st Canada Parent, Grandparent Super Visa issued in Manila

Filipinos were the first to benefit from Canada’s Parent and Grandparent Super Visa as the Canadian mission in Manila issued the very first Super Visa last month, according to a Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) news release.

“We pledged to process the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa in less than eight weeks,” noted Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. “We’ve issued the first of the Super Visas in just two weeks and we remain committed to reuniting families through the Super Visa in a timely manner.”

The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa was launched as an option for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents looking to visit their families in Canada for an extended period of time.

The process for getting a Super Visa is simple and straightforward:

• Super Visa seekers use the same application form as applicants for the standard six-month visitor visa.
• Applicants for the Super Visa must also submit proof that the host child or grandchild meets a minimum income.
• They should demonstrate that they have purchased comprehensive Canadian medical insurance and undergo the Immigration Medical Examination.

“With the Super Visa, we have taken a common sense approach that allows parents and grandparents to spend extended periods of time with their loved ones in Canada, while at the same time, acting responsibly in protecting Canadian taxpayers,” Minister Kenney added. “I’m pleased that the response to this program has been so positive.”

Until the Super Visa was launched on December 1, 2011, visitors to Canada usually could only visit for six months at a time and visitors who wished to stay longer had to apply for extensions and pay a new fee every six months. With the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, eligible parents and grandparents will pay fewer fees and have greater certainty that they will be able to enjoy the company of their families in Canada for a longer period of time.

Image provided by Fotolia via Microsoft Office website.