Super Visa - anyone applied as yet?

[TRUONGAN]

UPDATES!!!

My mom got her Super Visa yesterday Feb 5 2012 in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

She submitted her application on Jan 5 2012 so it's one month processing time, including medical.

However, the visa validity is only 5 year multiple entry, classified as PG-1 Super Visa. The reason is because Canada can only give Vietnamese nationals 5-years visa at most - this is something to deal with Foreign Affair Policy and different for every country. The 10 year for Super Visa cannot overcome Foreign Affairs Agreement.

Anyway, that's good enough for us to begin with, and I am very happy. From start to end there was no question asked even though I prepared for this scenario. My mom has 50,000 in her savings, a house under her name, she's travelled to few Asian countries, noticably South Korea as the farthest. She couldn't prove much more ties than those but the application was still successful. She used to be rejected before.

This is to encourage anyone with similar background to keep strong spirit. Super Visa is fairly easy to get. Good luck to all of you.

 

[creampuffs]

@TRUONGAN

congratulations to you and to your mom, that was awesome.... finally after the long wait!

 

[goal80]

UPDATES!!!
My mom got her Super Visa yesterday Feb 5 2012 in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
She submitted her application on Jan 5 2012 so it's one month processing time, including medical.
However, the visa validity is only 5 year multiple entry, classified as PG-1 Super Visa. The reason is because Canada can only give Vietnamese nationals 5-years visa at most - this is something to deal with Foreign Affair Policy and different for every country. The 10 year for Super Visa cannot overcome Foreign Affairs Agreement.

Congratulations Truongan.. This gives the hope to every body.
My parents have done the medicals .. they are waiting for the VO decision...

 

[pulsarsidhu]

Congrats Truongan ...That is a happy news after all.

 

[goal80]

The only thing bothering me is that all newspapers, websites, members of parliament think that the super visa is 10 year visa.
If you read parliament members opinions in the CIC website, you will find that they understand it's 10 year visa !

And the CIC does not want to correct this info for them !

Even in the CIC FAQ there is a question saying : what is the difference between regular 10 year visa and the super visa ?
This question makes anyone think that the super visa is 10 year visa since they are comparing it with the 10 year regular visa !


I think we have to do something to correct this information for everybody (members of parliament, nwespapers, ...)

 

[TRUONGAN]

The only thing bothering me is that all newspapers, websites, members of parliament think that the super visa is 10 year visa.
If you read parliament members opinions in the CIC website, you will find that they understand it's 10 year visa !

And the CIC does not want to correct this info for them !

Even in the CIC FAQ there is a question saying : what is the difference between regular 10 year visa and the super visa ?
This question makes anyone think that the super visa is 10 year visa since they are comparing it with the 10 year regular visa !


I think we have to do something to correct this information for everybody (members of parliament, nwespapers, ...)

I don't think we have enough courage to go back to the Consulate and ask them to correct it to 10 year in compliance with CIC rule. They give what they want. Can't ask too much from them. They can even give you 2 year single entry classified as Super Visa if they want to. If you see on the super visa, the category is PG1 as instructed by CIC - means the applicant will get entry stamp under Super Visa class.

From how I see, Super Visa is just a type of entry for you to get 2 year stay each time - it is not a Visa type separated from visitor visa. 10 year therefore is not a must, that's why they use the term 'up to 10 year' to range the validity anywhere between one month up to 10 year.

Goal80, your parents will likely get a 10 year Super Visa if the people from your country usually granted 10 year Canadian visa.

 

[Rossei]

UPDATES!!!

My mom got her Super Visa yesterday Feb 5 2012 in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.

She submitted her application on Jan 5 2012 so it's one month processing time, including medical.

However, the visa validity is only 5 year multiple entry, classified as PG-1 Super Visa. The reason is because Canada can only give Vietnamese nationals 5-years visa at most - this is something to deal with Foreign Affair Policy and different for every country. The 10 year for Super Visa cannot overcome Foreign Affairs Agreement.

Anyway, that's good enough for us to begin with, and I am very happy. From start to end there was no question asked even though I prepared for this scenario. My mom has 50,000 in her savings, a house under her name, she's travelled to few Asian countries, noticably South Korea as the farthest. She couldn't prove much more ties than those but the application was still successful. She used to be rejected before.

This is to encourage anyone with similar background to keep strong spirit. Super Visa is fairly easy to get. Good luck to all of you.

Congrats TRUONGAN!!! It indeed gives us hope.

5 years as opposed to 10 years visa validity is something new. Does your mom has more than 5 years remaining in her passport expiry? I'm just curious.
And CAD $50,000? That's a solid base I guess. My mom can only show $25,000 of her own. Did you put only that amount in "Funds Available for my Stay" input box in the application? I was willing to combine both my mom and my funds there.

 

[TRUONGAN]

Congrats TRUONGAN!!! It indeed gives us hope.

5 years as opposed to 10 years visa validity is something new. Does your mom has more than 5 years remaining in her passport expiry? I'm just curious.
And CAD $50,000? That's a solid base I guess. My mom can only show $25,000 of her own. Did you put only that amount in "Funds Available for my Stay" input box in the application? I was willing to combine both my mom and my funds there.

She just renewed her passport in 2011 so passport expiry is not a problem. I never heard of any Vietnamese national hold a 10 year Canadian Visa. Most of the lucky visitors will get 2 year, in rare cases: 5 year. Super Visa belongs to a preferred group so they get 5 year in Vietnam.

For Super Visa, the sponsor in Canada should act as main source of finance and support. My mom showed the fund just to prove her strong establishment there. On the invitation I claimed that I will fully support her. 25k is very solid base, too. I just helped a friend of mine to apply for her parents super visa. They live in rural area, husband is carpenter and wife just stay at home. Guess what, they got Medical request only AFTER ONE DAY (submitted Jan 31, Medical Feb 1) and they are waiting for the visa.

From my own case and my friend's, I see that you must satisfy the sponsor's requirements such as LICO, insurance, invitation letter, good establishment in Canada for your parents oversea to be granted visa. Officers do not assess parents very strictly on the Super Visa, if they are admissible.

The sponsor's eligibility is the main key for super visa so prepare your papers careful. keep things organized. to strengthen the application you can include a cover letter.

So far I never heard of any unsuccessful Super Visa application.

 

[vivacanada]

@ TRUONGAN Congratulations on your mom's super visa.

@ goal80 and all. If anyone wants to do something about the super visa's limited validity - i.e. writing to newspaper, politicians, parliament etc, count me in.

I am aware that at least the following conditions may shorten the super visa's validity.
1. Passport validity is shorter than 10 years yet far from being expired. Although CIC suggest Super visa applicant to renew their passport before they apply, in reality, for example, to renew a 10 year passport with 5 years validity left is not possible in many countries.
2. There are many countries in the world only issue national passports with 5 year validity.
3. In TRUONGAN's case, even though his mom's passport is valid for 10 years, her super visa validity was subject to the Foreign Affair Policy and only issued with 5 year validity.

The goal in my mind is: Super visa should be issued for 10 year validity regardless applicant's nationality and passport validity. This is feasible as US, a country with tight immigration, does it for US visitor visas for years without any security problems. As I said in my previous post, this is ultimately hard to ask CIC or any Canadian government agency to change any of their operating procedures, but at least we should try and let them know there are people like us who demand such change to ensure fairness for all super visa applicants.

 

[vivacanada]

Buffalo consulate is super sloooow on super visa.

My mom's updated timeline
Dec 7, 11 app package delivered to Buffalo
Dec 19, 11 bank draft cashed
Jan 4, 12 MER received
Jan 5, 12 ME done
Jan 15, 12 ME results sent to Ottawa. According to the doctor, all results were good and sent to Ottawa by courier.

Now it's almost been 2 month, still nothing from Buffalo. I plan to send an inquiry at end of this week, if there is still nothing by that time.

 

[goal80]

@ TRUONGAN Congratulations on your mom's super visa.

@ goal80 and all. If anyone wants to do something about the super visa's limited validity - i.e. writing to newspaper, politicians, parliament etc, count me in.

I am aware that at least the following conditions may shorten the super visa's validity.
1. Passport validity is shorter than 10 years yet far from being expired. Although CIC suggest Super visa applicant to renew their passport before they apply, in reality, for example, to renew a 10 year passport with 5 years validity left is not possible in many countries.
2. There are many countries in the world only issue national passports with 5 year validity.
3. In TRUONGAN's case, even though his mom's passport is valid for 10 years, her super visa validity was subject to the Foreign Affair Policy and only issued with 5 year validity.

The goal in my mind is: Super visa should be issued for 10 year validity regardless applicant's nationality and passport validity. This is feasible as US, a country with tight immigration, does it for US visitor visas for years without any security problems. As I said in my previous post, this is ultimately hard to ask CIC or any Canadian government agency to change any of their operating procedures, but at least we should try and let them know there are people like us who demand such change to ensure fairness for all super visa applicants.

Please go ahead... every one think that it's straight forward 10 year visa
google this clause : "canadaupdates Super Visa but the validity for that visa is only 1 year" : you will find a super visa issued with 1 year validity.

For my My parents: their passports have 7 years of validity... we still waiting for the VO decision
I'll let you know the updates

 

[Juzer]

@TRUONGAN....CONGRATS MAN!!! YOU INDEED GIVE US ALLOT OF HOPE...I AM STILL WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM NAIROBI OFFICE...SUBMITTED MY MOTHERS PAPERS ON 1st FEBRUARY IN NAIROBI...NOTHING RECEIVED TILL NOW...MY MUM HAS BEEN REJECTED VISA THRICE...

 

[Rossei]

Another question:

Should the "Invitation Letter" be addressed to the VO or directly to my mom? And what about other supporting letters?

 

[TRUONGAN]

Another question:

Should the "Invitation Letter" be addressed to the VO or directly to my mom? And what about other supporting letters?

I made it like a affidavit of support and brought it to Commissioner for Oath at any registry to legalize my signature for $10 You don't need a lawyer. For immigration, Commissioner for Oath is acceptable.


LETTER OF INVITATION


I, Ken Smith, Date of Birth MMDDYYYY, have SINGLE NO DEPENDANT MARITAL STATUS, owning the property and residing at xxxxx CANADA, Phone Number xxxx, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and say:

THAT I am Permanent Resident of Canada; my current occupation is xxxxx at xxxx since September 2010; my annual salary income is $55,000 CAD;

THAT I am the oldest son of Mrs. xxxx, Date of Birth xxxx, residing at xxxx, VIETNAM, Phone number xxxx;

THAT I am inviting my mother to come visit me in Canada for one year from MARCH 1, 2012 under SUPER VISA FOR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS CATEGORY;

THAT I am responsible in providing her accommodation, living expenses, health insurance, transportation, return air ticket and any emergency costs that may incur during her temporary stay in Canada;

THAT I guarantee she shall not become public charge or liability in Canada and she shall depart Canada on or before the day the authorized temporary residency ends;

THAT I am executing this affidavit for all legal intents and purposes and in compliance with the requirements of the authorities concerned.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set our hand this _________________ at Calgary, Alberta, Canada.





__________________________
Ken Smith
Affiant

 

[Rossei]

I made it like a affidavit of support and brought it to Commissioner for Oath at any registry to legalize my signature for $10 You don't need a lawyer. For immigration, Commissioner for Oath is acceptable.


LETTER OF INVITATION


I, Ken Smith, Date of Birth MMDDYYYY, have SINGLE NO DEPENDANT MARITAL STATUS, owning the property and residing at xxxxx CANADA, Phone Number xxxx, after having been duly sworn to in accordance with law, do hereby depose and say:

THAT I am Permanent Resident of Canada; my current occupation is xxxxx at xxxx since September 2010; my annual salary income is $55,000 CAD;

THAT I am the oldest son of Mrs. xxxx, Date of Birth xxxx, residing at xxxx, VIETNAM, Phone number xxxx;

THAT I am inviting my mother to come visit me in Canada for one year from MARCH 1, 2012 under SUPER VISA FOR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS CATEGORY;

THAT I am responsible in providing her accommodation, living expenses, health insurance, transportation, return air ticket and any emergency costs that may incur during her temporary stay in Canada;

THAT I guarantee she shall not become public charge or liability in Canada and she shall depart Canada on or before the day the authorized temporary residency ends;

THAT I am executing this affidavit for all legal intents and purposes and in compliance with the requirements of the authorities concerned.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set our hand this _________________ at Calgary, Alberta, Canada.





__________________________
Ken Smith
Affiant

Thanks TRUONGAN for sharing it. This is completely different than what I wrote in my "Invitation Letter". Mine looks like a letter to my mother saying how I owe to her and miss her dearly with all emotional attachment I could think of. I also made a letter with a heading "Declaration of Support" which, by the way, matches with the one you wrote here.

You said before that you had some writing full of emotions and feelings. Which one contains these? :-\ You also made a 'cover letter' for all your docs I suppose. How many "letters" have you made in total?