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Apply for Visitor's Visa or SuperVisa?

Carmageddon

Hero Member
Apr 19, 2012
300
8
123
Canada
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Rome
NOC Code......
2174
App. Filed.......
03.01.2016
Nomination.....
05.07.2016
AOR Received.
24.08.2016
Med's Done....
26.08.2016
Passport Req..
09.11.2016
VISA ISSUED...
21.11.2016
LANDED..........
19.04.2017
Hi,
I am PR since Apr 2017.
Both me and my wife work full time, we have two kids 12 year and 4 years.

My wife is pregnant now, and needs help closer to her due date (early October).

So, we would like to invite her mother for a visit to help out, for at least a year.
Now we have two options to go about this:
  1. Visitor's Visa
  2. SuperVisa
Is it a viable option to do it using Visitor's visa, asking extensions every 6 months? Do we have to buy the return ticket in advance to show it upon entry?
I know I read that SV should buy high health coverage otherwise one risks being liable for any excess charges beyond coverage (a visitor's visa does not have this problem). I heard of a case of someone's parent having a stroke, costing 200k in hospital expenses, his insurance was only 50k or so, but since it was visitor's visa nobody was liable (as a tourist, he could just leave...)

My wife's parents are poor in our western standards, they make about 100$ US each a month in their home countries where they own a house, and lived their entire life.
  1. How likely is a visitor's visa to be granted?
  2. How likely are we to get an extension?

Thanks!
 

canuck78

VIP Member
Jun 18, 2017
52,969
12,768
Hi,
I am PR since Apr 2017.
Both me and my wife work full time, we have two kids 12 year and 4 years.

My wife is pregnant now, and needs help closer to her due date (early October).

So, we would like to invite her mother for a visit to help out, for at least a year.
Now we have two options to go about this:
  1. Visitor's Visa
  2. SuperVisa
Is it a viable option to do it using Visitor's visa, asking extensions every 6 months? Do we have to buy the return ticket in advance to show it upon entry?
I know I read that SV should buy high health coverage otherwise one risks being liable for any excess charges beyond coverage (a visitor's visa does not have this problem). I heard of a case of someone's parent having a stroke, costing 200k in hospital expenses, his insurance was only 50k or so, but since it was visitor's visa nobody was liable (as a tourist, he could just leave...)

My wife's parents are poor in our western standards, they make about 100$ US each a month in their home countries where they own a house, and lived their entire life.
  1. How likely is a visitor's visa to be granted?
  2. How likely are we to get an extension?

Thanks!
A visitor visa will depend on their finances and ties to their home country. Supervisa depends more on your finances. In your friends situation the child usually has to arrange a payment plan for any treatment to continue past emergency treatment. Not sure how your friend got lucky but his parents may not ever be able to visit Canada again. Wouldn't mention anything about your wife being pregnant.
 
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Bryanna

VIP Member
Sep 8, 2014
14,137
3,121
Hi,
I am PR since Apr 2017.
Both me and my wife work full time, we have two kids 12 year and 4 years.

My wife is pregnant now, and needs help closer to her due date (early October).

So, we would like to invite her mother for a visit to help out, for at least a year.
Now we have two options to go about this:
  1. Visitor's Visa
  2. SuperVisa
Is it a viable option to do it using Visitor's visa, asking extensions every 6 months? Do we have to buy the return ticket in advance to show it upon entry?
I know I read that SV should buy high health coverage otherwise one risks being liable for any excess charges beyond coverage (a visitor's visa does not have this problem). I heard of a case of someone's parent having a stroke, costing 200k in hospital expenses, his insurance was only 50k or so, but since it was visitor's visa nobody was liable (as a tourist, he could just leave...)

My wife's parents are poor in our western standards, they make about 100$ US each a month in their home countries where they own a house, and lived their entire life.
  1. How likely is a visitor's visa to be granted?
  2. How likely are we to get an extension?

Thanks!
Considering the personal/financial circumstances of your wife's mom, it is advisable to apply for a super visa if you meet LICO for super visa.

You would need to include insurance coverage of at least CAD 100,000 per year + she must pass the super visa medicals + she must demonstrate at least some ties to her home country (property ownership, or dependent family)

And, agree with canuck78, it's not a good idea to mention about your wife's pregnancy.... it has worked in some countries, but not in other countries. Nonetheless, why risk a refusal by mentioning about the pregnancy/wanting to take care of your children/help your wife.... when it would seem like her mom will be working illegally, right?
 

Carmageddon

Hero Member
Apr 19, 2012
300
8
123
Canada
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Rome
NOC Code......
2174
App. Filed.......
03.01.2016
Nomination.....
05.07.2016
AOR Received.
24.08.2016
Med's Done....
26.08.2016
Passport Req..
09.11.2016
VISA ISSUED...
21.11.2016
LANDED..........
19.04.2017
Thanks for the


Wouldn't mention anything about your wife being pregnant.
Why is it inadvisable? why is that seen in negative light, when applying for either visitor's visa, or supervisa?

Considering the personal/financial circumstances of your wife's mom, it is advisable to apply for a super visa if you meet LICO for super visa.

You would need to include insurance coverage of at least CAD 100,000 per year + she must pass the super visa medicals + she must demonstrate at least some ties to her home country (property ownership, or dependent family)

And, agree with canuck78, it's not a good idea to mention about your wife's pregnancy.... it has worked in some countries, but not in other countries. Nonetheless, why risk a refusal by mentioning about the pregnancy/wanting to take care of your children/help your wife.... when it would seem like her mom will be working illegally, right?
I meet the LICO cut off not a problem for us.

I would like to understand, do you know why mentioning pregnancy can lead to rejection in some countries, rather than being accepted as legitimate reason for visiting? Since when taking care of a grandchild considered "work" by the government? that notion sounds silly.. Then everyone who help that way, and not being paid, should be suing for not being paid minimum wage? or the country demanding tax for the wage one is supposed to be getting for "child minding services"? :D

Finally, lets say you explain further and I understand and agree with your reasoning. Is there any harm by first trying to file for a visitor's visa, and only then if that fails, supervisa?

Also, can someone shed some light on the process, I read something about needing to buy the health insurance in advance - how do I do that, if we don't know the flight dates, the staying period..
 

Bryanna

VIP Member
Sep 8, 2014
14,137
3,121
I would like to understand, do you know why mentioning pregnancy can lead to rejection in some countries, rather than being accepted as legitimate reason for visiting? Since when taking care of a grandchild considered "work" by the government? that notion sounds silly..

Then everyone who help that way, and not being paid, should be suing for not being paid minimum wage? or the country demanding tax for the wage one is supposed to be getting for "child minding services"? :D
It might seem silly to you, but not to IRCC. You only need to look through the forum to know how many parents get refused for this reason.

Yes, it is equivalent to working illegally because you have the option to hire a nanny or a babysitter. You would be taking away work from a Canadian by retaining a relative for unpaid services.



Finally, lets say you explain further and I understand and agree with your reasoning. Is there any harm by first trying to file for a visitor's visa, and only then if that fails, supervisa?
Your wife's mother has almost zero chances of a TRV approval. If she is from a really poor country where a monthly income of CAD 100 is a norm then she might have some chances of a TRV approval.

But, nonetheless, she must prove she can afford the visit without being financial dependent on you that could make her a potential overstay risk.


Also, can someone shed some light on the process, I read something about needing to buy the health insurance in advance - how do I do that, if we don't know the flight dates, the staying period..
You need to buy insurance for one year from the intended date of her arrival. Do talk to your insurer.

This link will answer your super visa queries:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/parent-grandparent-super-visa.html
 
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Carmageddon

Hero Member
Apr 19, 2012
300
8
123
Canada
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Rome
NOC Code......
2174
App. Filed.......
03.01.2016
Nomination.....
05.07.2016
AOR Received.
24.08.2016
Med's Done....
26.08.2016
Passport Req..
09.11.2016
VISA ISSUED...
21.11.2016
LANDED..........
19.04.2017
It might seem silly to you, but not to IRCC. You only need to look through the forum to know how many parents get refused for this reason.

Yes, it is equivalent to working illegally because you have the option to hire a nanny or a babysitter. You would be taking away work from a Canadian by retaining a relative for unpaid services.




Your wife's mother has almost zero chances of a TRV approval. If she is from a really poor country where a monthly income of CAD 100 is a norm then she might have some chances of a TRV approval.

But, nonetheless, she must prove she can afford the visit without being financial dependent on you that could make her a potential overstay risk.



You need to buy insurance for one year from the intended date of her arrival. Do talk to your insurer.

This link will answer your super visa queries:
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/visit-canada/parent-grandparent-super-visa.html

Thanks! That helps, few further questions:



  1. Is there any harm in trying a TRV for her, before defaulting on supervisa? Processing time is only 7 days.. especially we'd like to get her dad approved first if it works, as he'd be coming for only 1 month visit, while her mother would be staying for long period.
  2. I guess that makes sense from that narrow point of view - as much as software piracy "hurts" software companies, although they didnt loose the income, as the pirates wouldn't have bought the software - just as I'd never hire a Canadian (thats cost prohibitive, not realistic), if I couldn't bring her mother...

    I am reading the website, it says and I quote:

    proof of payment for medical insurance from a Canadian insurance company that is:
    • valid for at least 1 year from the date of entry
    • at least $100,000 coverage
    I don't understand, how am I supposed to have that, if I am not buying flight tickets before we get the visa approved - its a lot of money to loose..
    Is the insurance flexible, like can be moved dates according to date of arrival?
 

Patel Patel

Star Member
Sep 20, 2017
84
19
Thanks! That helps, few further questions:



  1. Is there any harm in trying a TRV for her, before defaulting on supervisa? Processing time is only 7 days.. especially we'd like to get her dad approved first if it works, as he'd be coming for only 1 month visit, while her mother would be staying for long period.
  2. I guess that makes sense from that narrow point of view - as much as software piracy "hurts" software companies, although they didnt loose the income, as the pirates wouldn't have bought the software - just as I'd never hire a Canadian (thats cost prohibitive, not realistic), if I couldn't bring her mother...

    I am reading the website, it says and I quote:



    I don't understand, how am I supposed to have that, if I am not buying flight tickets before we get the visa approved - its a lot of money to loose..
    Is the insurance flexible, like can be moved dates according to date of arrival?
You have to be polite when asking for anyone’s help. Bryanna took her valuable time to answer all your questions in details but you still don’t seem to understand because you are not ready to listen to what she had repeatately said. And she is absolutely right. If your mother in law belongs to a country where 100 CAD a month is a normal income for most people then only she “may have” some chances to get her visitor visa approved. Other than that, she has nearly 0 % chances to get the visitor visa approved. So, in your mother in law’s case it is always advisable to apply for Supervisa if you are eligible & meet all the criteria.

And for your question about Supervisa insurance, Bryanna sent you the link which (if you take time to open it and read) gives you all the info regarding Supervisa application and it’s insurance.
Bryanna also mentioned that you need to talk to the insurance provider to get any information related to the Supervisa insurance. They will give you all the info. Just ask any insurance broker.
 
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Carmageddon

Hero Member
Apr 19, 2012
300
8
123
Canada
Category........
PNP
Visa Office......
Rome
NOC Code......
2174
App. Filed.......
03.01.2016
Nomination.....
05.07.2016
AOR Received.
24.08.2016
Med's Done....
26.08.2016
Passport Req..
09.11.2016
VISA ISSUED...
21.11.2016
LANDED..........
19.04.2017
Thank you Bryanna, Patel for your insistence, indeed I've overcome the urge to try to save, and accepted your explanations :)

I am in the process of preparing the application itself.
I got several clarification questions, please, if any of you able to answer:
  1. On online submission, a photo is required, correct? even though she is from a country where she will need to give biometrics.
  2. One section on the Checklist says to add Purpose of Travel, although that shows under TRV section, and then under Supervisa section, it say A Letter of Invitation. Do I need both? I only got sample formats for the second, not the first... I so far could not find any samples of the first, googling in relation to super visa applications.
  3. The very same Purpose of Travel, as well as few more, have a note saying: "Refer to the responsible visa office for your region.". Is there some information online, without contacting them?
    Asking because, when the in-law went into the embassy, she claims she has been told that she should be submitting her own bank account records, etc.. even though no official documents anywhere show that, as far as I can see, so I am reluctant to rely on verbal advice given to someone else by god knows whom.
  4. Another similar note for additional documents says "Refer to the visa specific instructions for your region" - I was not able to find that.. anyone?

Thanks for your patience, guys!