Which Canada Visa Do You Actually Need?
This page covers both the standard Canada Visitor Visa and the parents-and-grandparents Super Visa — and the first thing worth knowing is that they are not the same product with different names. They have different eligibility rules, different documents, different validity periods, and — critically — different funds and insurance requirements. Choosing the wrong one, or filing the right one incorrectly, is one of the most common and most avoidable reasons Punjab families lose time and money on a Canada visit application.
Visitor Visa (TRV) — For Short Visits
For tourism, family visits, or business — typically up to six months per entry, with the visa itself valid up to 10 years, multiple entries. See the full TRV breakdown below.
Super Visa — For Parents & Grandparents
Only for parents/grandparents of a Canadian citizen or PR — stays up to five years at a time, but requires meeting an income threshold and holding medical insurance. See the full Super Visa breakdown below.
Common Mistake: Applying for the Wrong One
We regularly see two versions of the same mistake. Parents who clearly qualify for the stronger, longer-stay Super Visa apply for a standard TRV instead — often because a relative or an unofficial agent assumed the two were interchangeable — and end up with a shorter stay than they were entitled to. The other direction also happens: applicants without a Canadian child or grandchild sponsor try to apply for a Super Visa they were never eligible for in the first place, when a standard TRV was the correct — and only available — route.
A five-minute eligibility check before you gather a single document avoids both. That check is free.
Canada Visitor Visa (TRV): Eligibility, Documents & Fees
The standard visitor visa is decided on one core question: will you genuinely return home? Everything IRCC asks for exists to answer that question — proof that your main ties, income and reason to come back all sit outside Canada.
Who Can Apply
Most applicants qualify if they plan to stay under six months, do not intend to work in Canada, and can show their main income, business and family ties are based outside Canada. There is no fixed minimum bank balance IRCC publishes — officers assess whether your funds realistically and credibly cover the trip alongside your stated purpose, which is exactly why a generic, one-size figure from a forum or a relative is often the wrong number for your specific case.
Documents We Prepare With You
- A digital copy of a valid passport, valid at least 6 months beyond your travel date.
- Proof of funds — typically 6 months of bank statements, plus ITRs where available.
- A travel itinerary and, for tourist visits, an invitation letter and proof of the relationship if you're visiting family.
- Employer or business documentation supporting your ties and reason to return.
- For applicants without regular ITRs — a documented alternative funds trail (Form J for agricultural income, or GST/trade-licence evidence for retail business owners).
Fees & Validity (2026)
| Fee | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|
| Visitor visa processing (individual) | $100 |
| Visitor visa processing (family of 5+) | $500 |
| Biometrics (individual) | $85 |
| Biometrics (family) | up to $170 |
Figures confirmed from IRCC's official visitor visa application page (canada.ca), last modified August 28, 2026. Verify at the time of filing, as IRCC updates fees periodically.
How long is a Canada Visitor Visa valid for?
Up to 10 years, or until your passport or biometrics expire — whichever comes first — with multiple entries allowed within that window. How long you can stay on each individual visit (typically up to six months) is decided by the border officer at the port of entry.
Canada Super Visa for Parents & Grandparents
The Super Visa exists for one relationship only — parents and grandparents of a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian — and in exchange for that narrower eligibility, it offers a far longer stay than a standard visitor visa. Two conditions make it genuinely different to prepare: the host's income, and mandatory medical insurance.
Who Qualifies — Relationship & Host Requirements
The applicant must be the biological or adopted parent or grandparent of their host. The host (the child or grandchild in Canada) must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or registered Indian, at least 18 years old, resident in Canada, meet the minimum necessary income, and provide a signed letter of invitation that promises financial support and lists everyone in the household. Dependants cannot be included in the Super Visa application itself.
The Income Requirement — What Changed on March 31, 2026
The host must meet or exceed a minimum income based on the federal Low Income Cut-Off (LICO) table, adjusted for household size. Outside Quebec, IRCC's current published table is:
| Family Size (Host's Household) | Minimum Necessary Income (CAD) |
|---|---|
| 1 person | $30,526 |
| 2 persons | $38,002 |
| 3 persons | $46,720 |
| 4 persons | $56,724 |
| 5 persons | $64,336 |
| 6 persons | $72,560 |
| 7 persons | $80,784 |
| Each additional person | + $8,224 |
Quebec residents use MIFI's own financial-capacity table instead of this federal one — confirm the current Quebec figure separately if your host lives there. Verify all figures against IRCC's live page before filing.
2026 Rule Change — Two Ways to Qualify Now
As of March 31, 2026, IRCC changed how this requirement is assessed. Hosts can now meet the income threshold using either of the last two tax years, not only the most recent one. And if the host's income falls short, the income of the visiting parent or grandparent can now be added to make up the remaining amount, provided the host still meets a minimum share themselves.
This genuinely helps families where the sponsoring child's income dipped in one year, or where the parents themselves have a documented income that can top up the file. We confirm the exact current top-up rule for your household at your assessment.
Mandatory Medical Insurance — CAD $100,000 Minimum
Every Super Visa applicant must show proof of private medical insurance, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation, for a minimum of CAD $100,000, valid for at least one year from the date of entry. The policy must be paid in full or with a deposit and instalment plan in place — a quote alone is not accepted — and must be available for a border services officer to review at each entry.
Since January 28, 2025, this no longer has to be a Canadian insurer specifically — a foreign insurance company can also qualify, provided it is authorised by Canada's Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) for accident and sickness insurance, appears on OSFI's federally regulated institutions registry, and the policy is issued under that company's Canadian insurance business. We help you verify a policy actually meets these three conditions before you pay for it — a policy that looks right but fails one of them is a documented reason for refusal.
How long can I stay in Canada on a Super Visa?
Up to five years at a time, with multiple entries permitted over a window of up to 10 years, or until the applicant's passport expires — whichever comes first. This is the core advantage over a standard TRV's roughly six-month stays.
Why Visitor & Super Visa Applications Get Refused
Most refusals we see trace back to one of a handful of avoidable patterns — not to applicants being fundamentally ineligible.
Weak or Unclear Ties to Home
A file that doesn't clearly show why you will return — stable income, property, family, employment — reads as risk to an officer, regardless of how genuine your actual intent is.
Funds That Look Recently Arranged
A large balance that appeared a few weeks before filing, with no consistent history, raises more questions than it answers. Officers read for a credible, seasoned pattern — not a single snapshot number.
A Generic or Missing Invitation Letter
For family visits and the Super Visa specifically, a vague or template-style invitation letter — missing the relationship, the commitment of support, or the household details — is a common, easily fixed cause of refusal.
Reapplying Without Fixing the Real Reason
Refiling the same application after a refusal, without identifying and correcting what the refusal letter actually cited, usually produces the same result. We read the refusal reasons first, then rebuild only what needs rebuilding.
Our Canada Visitor Visa & Super Visa Process
One process, two document sets — we establish which visa fits your case in the first step, then build the specific file that product actually requires.
- Free Eligibility & Route Assessment
An honest read of your case and relationship to your Canadian host — establishing TRV or Super Visa before any document work begins.
- Document Strategy & Checklist
A personalised checklist covering funds, invitation letter, and — for Super Visa cases — income documentation and insurance requirements.
- Invitation Letter, Funds & Insurance Review
We review your invitation letter, funds trail, and verify your Super Visa insurance policy meets all current OSFI conditions before you pay for it.
- Filing & Biometrics Support
Submission through the IRCC secure online portal, with guidance through biometrics at VFS Global — usually Chandigarh or Delhi for Patiala applicants.
- Decision Support & Travel Prep
Clear guidance through to the decision; if refused, we read the actual reasons cited and advise honestly on whether and how to reapply.
Why Patiala Families Trust BrainEdge
BrainEdge holds ICEF agency status and operates under Punjab Government licence No. 568/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2022, from our City Centre, Patiala office — serving families across Patiala, Rajpura, Nabha, Sangrur, Samana, Sirhind, Fatehgarh Sahib, Dhuri, Malerkotla and Banur.
What We Do NOT Do
In a market where some agents overpromise, it is worth being clear about where we draw the line:
- We do not guarantee visas or quote “99% / 100% success” — approval is the visa officer's decision, not ours.
- We do not fabricate documents, funds or an insurance policy to force an application through.
- We do not hide charges — every fee is itemised before you commit.
If your family's plans extend beyond a Canada visit — a study permit, PR, or another destination entirely — our wider team also handles Canada immigration & PR and the full range of tourist & visitor visas for other countries.
Frequently Asked Questions
A standard Visitor Visa (TRV) is for short visits, usually up to six months per entry. The Super Visa is specifically for parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens or permanent residents — it allows stays of up to five years at a time over a multi-year, multiple-entry validity, but requires meeting income thresholds and holding valid medical insurance. We assess which route fits your case.
Canada does not publish a fixed minimum; officers assess whether your funds realistically cover the visit alongside your ties and purpose. For a Super Visa, separate income thresholds and medical insurance apply. We map the right funds range for your specific Canada case.
It depends on your host's household size, based on IRCC's federal Low Income Cut-Off table — for example, $30,526 for a household of one, rising with each additional family member. Since March 31, 2026, hosts can use either of the last two tax years to qualify, and can top up a shortfall with the visiting parent's or grandparent's own income. We confirm the exact current figures for your household size.
A minimum of CAD $100,000, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation, valid for at least one year from your date of entry. Since January 2025, this can be from an OSFI-approved foreign insurer as well as a Canadian one — we verify your policy actually qualifies before you pay for it.
Up to five years at a time, with multiple entries allowed over a window of up to 10 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first — substantially longer than a standard visitor visa's typical six-month stays.
No. A completed medical exam with an IRCC-approved panel physician is a mandatory part of every Super Visa application, separate from the medical insurance requirement.
Yes, but only once you've identified and genuinely fixed the reason cited in your refusal letter. Refiling the same application usually produces the same result. We read the actual refusal reasons first, then advise honestly on what needs to change.
Most first-time applicants for either visa need to give biometrics at a VFS Global centre — usually Chandigarh or Delhi for Patiala applicants. We brief you on what to bring so it's a single, smooth visit.
Book Your Free Eligibility Assessment
Whether it's a standard visit or bringing your parents over for years at a time, your Canada visa deserves an honest, expert read from day one. Book your free eligibility assessment with BrainEdge — Patiala's licensed visa consultants — and find out which route actually fits your case. No cost, no obligation.
Free Eligibility Assessment
Tell us your case and your host's situation. We'll tell you honestly whether a TRV or a Super Visa fits, and what it will take.
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