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Super Visa question regarding grandmother

hjstannum

Star Member
Mar 9, 2017
57
38
Hello Members,

Thanks to all the support you provide day in day out, of which I have been a lucky recipient as well in the past. Before I get to my questions, let me give you some context.

- I am a PR since 2015 and have a full time job in Canada
- In 2017 I had applied for a TRV for all my family members at home (parents and a grandmother). We had built a solid case with enough finances being shown for the three (my father being the main applicant showed 40k CAD and backed it up bank statements) along with the usual property documents. etc. This application ended up getting rejected with stated reasons being lack of travel history (my parents had undertaken 5 trips in the last 10 years - a couple to the Middle East, one to Asia and one to Europe) along with visa officer not being satisfied that we they were bona fide visitors and would return back after the trip
- Figuring that perhaps the whole family wanting to travel was the undoing last time, in January this year I had my parents only apply for a supervisa. I built a robust case with a long invitation letter stating how my grandmother is dependent on my parents, so they will have to return back for her. This time, after incorporating help from the members here, the super visa application was accepted and my parents were able to come visit me this summer, after which they have already left to back home

Now the situation is this that I want to apply for my grandmother for a super visa, so that she can come to visit me by herself. She is 80+ and obviously retired leading a very homely life. The questions which I have for your input are as follows:

- Would it be wise for me to mention on the invitation letter that I had my parents previously apply for a super visa, which when granted, enabled them to come visit me, after which they have already left. Just to be able to show that we are not going to be a case of a family wanting not to return back home? Or should I rather not mention it considering it may create a doubt that granting a super visa to my grandmother would mean all of my family has now clearance to enter into Canada and potentially not have a reason to return (even if both my parents are full time employed).
- Second my grandmother doesn't have a bank account and is fully dependent on my father for her expenses. How should I show her financial situation? Should I claim to take the responsibility of her trip expenses including airfare on the notarized invitation letter i am going to prepare or should my father show his finances via his bank statements and from that show a portion of it that my grandmother will be utilizing for the trip (something around 8k to 10k CAD).

Any responses around this will be highly appreciated. Thank for you all great work you do to help everyone!
 

Bryanna

VIP Member
Sep 8, 2014
14,136
3,122
- Would it be wise for me to mention on the invitation letter that I had my parents previously apply for a super visa, which when granted, enabled them to come visit me, after which they have already left.
Even if you do not mention that your parents were granted super visas, IRCC already has this information.

You would need to state your family composition + state the details of the people you have already sponsored for super visas in your invitation letter i.e. your parents must be included in your LICO calculations when you apply for your grandmom if their super visas are still valid.


- Second my grandmother doesn't have a bank account and is fully dependent on my father for her expenses. How should I show her financial situation? Should I claim to take the responsibility of her trip expenses including airfare on the notarized invitation letter i am going to prepare or should my father show his finances via his bank statements and from that show a portion of it that my grandmother will be utilizing for the trip (something around 8k to 10k CAD).
You need to provide all necessary financial documents (NOA, bank statements, investments, etc etc) + your dad can provide a Letter of Financial Support (his ITRs + his bank statements + financial investments, etc).

It would be best to open a bank account or else include your grandmom as a joint account holder for one of the accounts held by your dad. Either way, she must include an explanation for this. For super visas, the focus is on your financials. Nonetheless, she must prove that she has some reasonable finances.


A couple of suggestions:
1. I recommend having your grandmom to go through 'practice/test' medicals from a panel physician before she applies for a super visa. This would help to know if she has any pre-existing conditions that could be of concern for her super visa.

2. Based on #1, you could then check for a suitable insurance coverage. In any case, she must have minimum CAD 100,000 coverage for one year for a super visa.

3. As she is 80+ years with zero ties to return to, IRCC could assume that she will stay for the entire 2 years allowed for a super visa entry and could request her to go through additional medical tests
 

hjstannum

Star Member
Mar 9, 2017
57
38
Even if you do not mention that your parents were granted super visas, IRCC already has this information.

You would need to state your family composition + state the details of the people you have already sponsored for super visas in your invitation letter i.e. your parents must be included in your LICO calculations when you apply for your grandmom if their super visas are still valid.
Thanks I guess this answers my first question since my parents do have active super visas right now so I will end up mentioning about them in the letter along with the LICO calculation

You need to provide all necessary financial documents (NOA, bank statements, investments, etc etc) + your dad can provide a Letter of Financial Support (his ITRs + his bank statements + financial investments, etc).

It would be best to open a bank account or else include your grandmom as a joint account holder for one of the accounts held by your dad. Either way, she must include an explanation for this. For super visas, the focus is on your financials. Nonetheless, she must prove that she has some reasonable finances.
I will definitely provide my financials, the same as I provided for when my parents applied including all that you mentioned. Will also have my dad come up with the Letter of Financial Support stating the reason why my grandmother doesn't hold a bank account/investments.

The problem with a bank account if opened in her name is, it would need to get an inflow from my dad to bring it to a reasonable level and then a further 4-6 months before statements from it can be provided as support for her application, because otherwise it would look really fishy, no?

A couple of suggestions:
1. I recommend having your grandmom to go through 'practice/test' medicals from a panel physician before she applies for a super visa. This would help to know if she has any pre-existing conditions that could be of concern for her super visa.

2. Based on #1, you could then check for a suitable insurance coverage. In any case, she must have minimum CAD 100,000 coverage for one year for a super visa.

3. As she is 80+ years with zero ties to return to, IRCC could assume that she will stay for the entire 2 years allowed for a super visa entry and could request her to go through additional medical tests
1 - I am under the impression that at her age she is exempt from a medical, are you sure the medical is done for everyone that applies irrespective of their age?

2 - I will end up using the same insurance provider I used for my parents, so I have that identified already

3 - You have a point here. Are you aware of IRCC asking for additional medical tests in cases where the applicant doesnt have to go through the initial medical due to their age in the first place?
 

Bryanna

VIP Member
Sep 8, 2014
14,136
3,122
The problem with a bank account if opened in her name is, it would need to get an inflow from my dad to bring it to a reasonable level and then a further 4-6 months before statements from it can be provided as support for her application, because otherwise it would look really fishy, no?
That's why I had suggested adding her as a joint account holder to one of your dad's existing bank accounts + the explanation + the Letter of Financial Support etc etc


1 - I am under the impression that at her age she is exempt from a medical, are you sure the medical is done for everyone that applies irrespective of their age?
Absolutely no exemption. On the contrary, at her age, she is mostly likely expected to undergo additional tests or medical furtherance if the panel physician and IRCC believe there is a medical concern. Just to add: Even super visa applicants could be asked for medical furtherance.

She is exempted from providing biometrics due to her age.


3 - You have a point here. Are you aware of IRCC asking for additional medical tests in cases where the applicant doesnt have to go through the initial medical due to their age in the first place?
Not sure why you believe that there are exemptions due to age for super visas. Even minor infants go through medicals for PR and other long-stay visas
 
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hjstannum

Star Member
Mar 9, 2017
57
38
@Bryanna

I'm almost at the verge of submitting her application and find it hard getting a insurance policy for her due to her age. She is 89, turning 90 next week. Just wondering, will she still require insurance at her age? I heard from someone it might not be required?

That's why I had suggested adding her as a joint account holder to one of your dad's existing bank accounts + the explanation + the Letter of Financial Support etc etc



Absolutely no exemption. On the contrary, at her age, she is mostly likely expected to undergo additional tests or medical furtherance if the panel physician and IRCC believe there is a medical concern. Just to add: Even super visa applicants could be asked for medical furtherance.

She is exempted from providing biometrics due to her age.



Not sure why you believe that there are exemptions due to age for super visas. Even minor infants go through medicals for PR and other long-stay visas
 

Bryanna

VIP Member
Sep 8, 2014
14,136
3,122
@Bryanna

I'm almost at the verge of submitting her application and find it hard getting a insurance policy for her due to her age. She is 89, turning 90 next week. Just wondering, will she still require insurance at her age? I heard from someone it might not be required?
Yes, she needs minimum CAD 100,000 insurance coverage for a super visa application. I have not come across any IRCC exception to this criteria.

The only exception is for her biometrics/fingerprints due to her age.

Generally, as someone grows older, insurance coverage is a necessity unless you're prepared to pay for any unfortunate emergencies/hospital stay out of pocket
 
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