Quick answer
A Super Visa holder can stay up to five years per entry and can apply from inside Canada to extend by up to two years at a time. The extension is a visitor record, applied for online, ideally at least 30 days before the current stay ends, for a $100 fee. Visitors never qualify for provincial health coverage, so private insurance should be renewed every year, with the new policy starting the day after the old one ends.
Super Visa Date Planner
Enter the date your parent entered Canada. We'll work out the end of the stay, the latest date to apply, and every insurance renewal.
How to Extend a Super Visa Stay
Renew the insurance
Before anything else, make sure the policy runs past the date the current stay ends. A visitor with a lapsed policy is one fall away from a five-figure bill.
Gather documents
Passport valid for the new dates, proof of the host's support, and proof of the insurance. Officers want to see the parent can be supported for the extra time.
Apply online
Apply for a visitor record through the IRCC account, at least 30 days before the stay ends. The fee is $100.
Keep status while waiting
If you apply before the stay ends, your parent can usually remain in Canada under the same conditions while IRCC decides. Don't let insurance lapse during this time.
Renewing Super Visa Insurance Without a Gap
IRCC's insurance rule is one year from each entry. After that first year, nothing in the visa forces you to keep paying. But your parent is still a visitor, still not covered by OHIP, and getting older every year. Almost every family we work with renews.
The safe way is simple: get a renewal quote about 30 days before the policy ends, and start the new one the day after the old one ends. Buying a policy from inside Canada after a lapse is where problems start. Many plans add a waiting period, often 48 hours to 15 days, before sickness is covered, and new medical questions can exclude something that was covered before.
A renewal is also a chance to compare. Your parent is a year older, prices have moved, and there may be a cheaper plan with the same cover. If you switch, buy the new plan first and cancel the old one after. How switching and refunds work.
It lets your parent stay longer. It doesn't let them re-enter Canada by itself. If they travel out, the Super Visa itself must still be valid to come back.
When the full stay is used, your parent leaves and can come back on the Super Visa while it's valid, with a new year of insurance from the new entry date.
Super Visa Extension: Your Questions
Can a Super Visa holder extend their stay?
Yes. They can apply from inside Canada to extend by up to two years at a time, through a visitor record.
When should we apply for the extension?
At least 30 days before the current stay ends. Applying earlier is safer, as long as the passport is valid for the new dates.
How much does a Super Visa extension cost?
The IRCC fee for a visitor record is $100 per person.
Does my parent need insurance to extend the stay?
Officers look at whether your parent can be supported for the longer stay, and insurance is a key part of that. Keep a valid policy covering the new dates.
Do we have to renew Super Visa insurance every year?
IRCC requires a year from each entry. After that it's not a visa rule, but your parent still has no provincial coverage, so we strongly recommend renewing every year.
What happens if the insurance lapses?
Any illness or injury during the gap isn't covered. A new policy bought after a lapse can also have a waiting period and new medical questions.
Pankaj Bhatia, PFA, CHS
Pankaj is a licensed insurance advisor with offices in Mississauga and Cambridge, Ontario, and a member of Advocis. He helps families compare Super Visa and visitor plans from Canadian insurers and sorts out claims and refunds when plans change.
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Policy ending soon?
Send the policy number and end date. We'll quote renewals and switches so there's no gap.