Those applying for parent or grandparent SUPERVISA - share your experiences here

[chilkootcee]

Hello everyone,

I'm sure many of you who have settled have applied for supervisas for your parents / grandparents. Here is a place to share your experiences / questions.

My husband's parents are from Syria and with the war going on, I'm not sure if they will be able to obtain a supervisa because it will be difficult to convince the visa officer that they are willing and able to move back to Syria (even though after their home was destroyed they have rebuilt it and do not want to immigrate)

Anyone apply for supervisa for Syrian parents in the last 4 years?

C.

 

[deerestlovelybear]

Hello everyone,

I'm sure many of you who have settled have applied for supervisas for your parents / grandparents. Here is a place to share your experiences / questions.

My husband's parents are from Syria and with the war going on, I'm not sure if they will be able to obtain a supervisa because it will be difficult to convince the visa officer that they are willing and able to move back to Syria (even though after their home was destroyed they have rebuilt it and do not want to immigrate)

Anyone apply for supervisa for Syrian parents in the last 4 years?

C.

Supervisa is just a visitor visa and still have to prove intent to return and proof

 

[chilkootcee]

Supervisa is j

Thank you...I am aware of this....which is why I'm trying to get a sense for timelines and especially for those who are applying for their relatives who are living in Syria. If they treat the supervisa like visitor visas then basically no one from Syria would be eligible for one. And if it takes min 6 years to sponsor parents / grandparents (including 2 years of living in Canada and earning income / filing taxes......this means one will not be able to visit their parents easily for min 6 years after landing in Canada....and this assumes the parents want to immigrate (which is not the case)

I find this situation somewhat deplorable.....

C.

 

[steaky]

Thank you...I am aware of this....which is why I'm trying to get a sense for timelines and especially for those who are applying for their relatives who are living in Syria. If they treat the supervisa like visitor visas then basically no one from Syria would be eligible for one. And if it takes min 6 years to sponsor parents / grandparents (including 2 years of living in Canada and earning income / filing taxes......this means one will not be able to visit their parents easily for min 6 years after landing in Canada....and this assumes the parents want to immigrate (which is not the case)

I find this situation somewhat deplorable.....

C.

Why couldn't they visit their parents easily? Why do they need 2 years of living in Canada? Yes, they need to file taxes in Canada, but this would not stop them from visiting their parents.

 

[chilkootcee]

Why couldn't they visit their parents easily? Why do they need 2 years of living in Canada? Yes, they need to file taxes in Canada, but this would not stop them from visiting their parents.

The parents are living in Homs, Syria. It is not safe for them (especially) nor me to go there. Already we know of people who have disappeared or who have been killed (with bodies returned 6 months later).

To sponsor parents / grandparents - you must be living in Canada and have NOA's from Revenue Canada for a min of 2 years (this has nothing to do with supervisa)

And clearly because of the war in Syria, it would also be very difficult for them to obtain a tourist or super visa (even my husband was denied this twice during our application process and they were clear that it had nothing to do with him but of the situation in Syria.

C.

 

[steaky]

The parents are living in Homs, Syria. It is not safe for them (especially) nor me to go there. Already we know of people who have disappeared or who have been killed (with bodies returned 6 months later).

To sponsor parents / grandparents - you must be living in Canada and have NOA's from Revenue Canada for a min of 2 years (this has nothing to do with supervisa)

And clearly because of the war in Syria, it would also be very difficult for them to obtain a tourist or super visa (even my husband was denied this twice during our application process and they were clear that it had nothing to do with him but of the situation in Syria.

C.

If they were to be included in the 25,000 Syrian refugees who landed early in this year, then you don't need to sponsor them for immigration.

Btw, couldn't you meet them in neighboring countries such as Turkey?

 

[chilkootcee]

If they were to be included in the 25,000 Syrian refugees who landed early in this year, then you don't need to sponsor them for immigration.

Btw, couldn't you meet them in neighboring countries such as Turkey?

We are already planning a family reunion in another country and this hasn't been easy to arrange. (Turkey now requires visas for Syrians as well as Lebanon, Jordan, etc. However, visiting family in a third location adds to the expenses (in addition to the flights). It's not something the family can afford to do more than once maybe every 5 years...which is not great...

My mom died suddenly this year...so I am accutely aware of the importance of keeping family ties...

They cannot apply as refugees as they are living in Syria...they would have to leave their home (which they just rebuilt after it was destroyed in the war) and become refugees which adds to a entire level of uncertainty and suffering. My point is, that they should be granted a supervisa despite the war in Syria...but if my husband who had an established job, residence in another country for 8 years outside of Syria couldn't get a temp visa, there is no hope for someone applying from within Syria.

Would love to hear from others who have sponsored Syrians for PGP or Super visa...but maybe as my original post suggested, perhaps it really is a lost cause and the only avenue is political change...

C.

 

[VictorCA]

I just saw that IRCC is still processing PR applications for parents/grandparents that were filed back in January 2014

If my parents get a super visa, does anyone know if their time in the country with it would count towards the time a PR needs to be in the country to become a citizen? That way at least they'd have an advantage on this by the time their application gets processed.

 

[tweetyishere]

No the time doesn't count. Super Visa is only an option to have parents and grandparents in Canada for a longer time (up to two years) as the sponsorship process takes a long time.

I just saw that IRCC is still processing PR applications for parents/grandparents that were filed back in January 2014

If my parents get a super visa, does anyone know if their time in the country with it would count towards the time a PR needs to be in the country to become a citizen? That way at least they'd have an advantage on this by the time their application gets processed.

 

[DEEPCUR]

How long is the super visa issued generally? I understand that it might be case on case basis, but what's the common validity given on an ideal basis? Also is it a multiple entry visa or given on a visit basis? How long is the processing time for supervisa?

 

[chilkootcee]

How long is the super visa issued generally? I understand that it might be case on case basis, but what's the common validity given on an ideal basis? Also is it a multiple entry visa or given on a visit basis? How long is the processing time for supervisa?

I believe it is a multiple entry and expiry time is case by case (although I've heard 5 to 10 years). I think the whole program was started to alleviate some of the hardship for those under sponsorship as well (where processing time is 3 - 4 years apparently). I don't know the processing times - hoping others with direct experience can chime in.

Hi chilkootcee ,

What you said above is really confusing me, first and according to CIC website, one of the options to prove you have a home tie is owning a property, so if we show such thing which I believe not a lot of residents of UAE might provide ( as most of them rely on their employment in UAE as a home tie reason to come back) should be a plus,especially that it has been owned for several years now,not recently,but as you said it would be interesting and informative if we have similar cases and see how that play for or against them..( by the way, does UAE give 2 year multiple entry visit visa for property owners, last time i checked they revoked such visa ).

Second,i think super visa is bit different than normal visit visa, i think the later is much easier, i once seen a lawyer and asked him about sponsoring my kid who was born out of Canada and I was not working,he said you don't have to work to bring your wife and kids,its ur right to bring ur family, so i dont know why u opted for visit visa for ur husband instead of direct sponsoring, However, I find it funny that they add ''close family ties'' as a reason to reject the visa, what is the purpose of making a special category of visa for parents or family members, then reject it on basis of close family ties, its weird .

by the way, if u r syrian, i heard syrians even in UAE can apply for PR to Canada as refuges,even if they are working in UAE, is that true?

Hi yorker,

You are likely more up to date on the residency options with property ownership than I am...my comments were based on some quick research I had done on the web.

I'm not Syrian. My husband is. He was refused visit visa TWICE - once prior to our sponsorship application being submitted and once after. The reasons for refusal were very clear (as I had stated in my previous comments). I am deducing from this that it would be very difficult for anyone coming from Syria to obtain visit visa (or super visa) to Canada based on the grounds for refusal (as they had very little to do with ties to country of residence and everything to do with the situation in Syria). Hence my wondering if even owning property in the UAE would be enough as the issue is a matter of Canada worrying about people entering for one reason (visit) and then wanting to change their status once in Canada (refugee / asylum).

Yes, I have heard of Syrians in the UAE who are applying as refugees but I don't know anyone personally. It is not easy as I would assume that those in the UAE may not be seen as having the same hardship as those who are in locations bordering Syria (i.e. if they were assessed to be sponsored by the government) but I assume if Syrians who are already in Canada have family in the UAE, this could help...or Syrians who are being privately sponsored (but it is difficult to find a sponsor too I imagine).

Another question - so what if our inlaws don't want to become PR in Canada, and just want to visit their kids / grandkids? Most people want to stay in their home country (even refugees). If Syrians are unlikely to be able to get a supervisa, there is very little opportunity to see each other.

C.

 

[deerestlovelybear]

Many of you may not be aware but the processing time for Parents PR is not 3-4 years, that is only stage 1 where they approve the sponsor eligibility, after that the application is transferred to the local visa office where it take 4-8 years depending on locations. So the total time from the time you are eligible to submit an application till the time the parent arrive in Canada is from 7 to 12 years. By the time most of them may have already be too old already.

 

[deerestlovelybear]

Super Visa is in fact just an extended VISITOR visa with absolutely no right to work or study or doing anything paid and in order to qualify the intention to return to home country must be strong enough with evidence and tie such as good job back home, stable condition in home country etc... just like any visitor visa applications

 

[chilkootcee]

Many of you may not be aware but the processing time for Parents PR is not 3-4 years, that is only stage 1 where they approve the sponsor eligibility, after that the application is transferred to the local visa office where it take 4-8 years depending on locations. So the total time from the time you are eligible to submit an application till the time the parent arrive in Canada is from 7 to 12 years. By the time most of them may have already be too old already.

Might as well stay focused on figuring out the supervisa thing then....not looking good

C.

 

[VictorCA]

Many of you may not be aware but the processing time for Parents PR is not 3-4 years, that is only stage 1 where they approve the sponsor eligibility, after that the application is transferred to the local visa office where it take 4-8 years depending on locations. So the total time from the time you are eligible to submit an application till the time the parent arrive in Canada is from 7 to 12 years. By the time most of them may have already be too old already.

Are you serious? That's crazy! I thought it was 3-4 years to get them their PR visas