When a parent or grandparent applies for a super visa, the invitation letter is your part of the paperwork. This guide sets out what Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, the federal immigration department) says the letter must contain, as of 22 October 2026.
What is a super visa invitation letter?
A super visa invitation letter is a letter written and signed by the child or grandchild in Canada who will host a visiting parent or grandparent. It tells the visa officer who is visiting, who is hosting, and that the host promises to support the visitor financially. Your parent includes it with the super visa application.
A super visa allows a parent or grandparent to stay for five years at a time, with multiple entries over a period of up to 10 years. For a stay of six months or less, IRCC directs families to a regular visitor visa instead.
Who can write and sign the letter?
The host writes and signs it. IRCC says the host must be the visitor’s child or grandchild, at least 18 years old, living in Canada, and a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or registered Indian. The host’s spouse or common-law partner may co-sign if they hold one of those statuses. Other relatives, such as the host’s siblings, cannot.
What must the letter include?
IRCC asks for details about the visitor, details about the host, and two things specific to the super visa: a promise of financial support for the whole visit, and a list of everyone counted in the host’s family size, with each person’s name and date of birth. Proof of the host’s income accompanies the letter.
About your parent or grandparent:
- complete name, date of birth, address and telephone number
- their relationship to you and the purpose of the trip
- how long they plan to stay and when they plan to leave
- where they will stay and how they will pay for things
About you, the host:
- complete name, date of birth, address and telephone number in Canada
- your job title
- your status in Canada, with a photocopy of a document that proves it
- details of your family, such as the names and dates of birth of your spouse and dependants
How much income does the host need to show?
The host must meet or exceed IRCC’s “minimum necessary income” for their family size. Family size counts the host’s own household, the visiting parents or grandparents, and people the host already supports under an earlier sponsorship or super visa invitation. The dollar amounts change from time to time, so read IRCC’s current table before you write the letter.
The usual proof is a notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency. A co-signing spouse or partner’s income can be added. IRCC’s proof of financial support page also describes a second option, where the host has at least 75 per cent of the minimum and the visiting parent adds their own income. New super visa instructions took effect in 2026, so check that page on the day you apply.
Does a super visa invitation letter need to be notarized?
IRCC’s published instructions say the letter must be written and signed by the host. They do not list notarization as a requirement. If the instructions or checklist your parent receives ask for a notarized letter, or you would like your signature formally witnessed, a notary public can do that for you in a short visit.
In Ontario, a notary checks your government photo identification, watches you sign in person, and then signs and seals the document. Remote notarization is not permitted in Ontario. The notary confirms who signed the letter, not that its contents are true. IRCC says you must tell the truth and plan to keep the promises you make in the letter.
What else does my parent need besides the letter?
The letter is one part of the application. IRCC also asks for proof of the family relationship, such as the host’s birth certificate naming the parent, private health insurance valid for at least one year with at least $100,000 in emergency coverage, and an immigration medical exam. Your parent must apply from outside Canada.
The insurance must be paid in full or in instalments with a deposit; IRCC does not accept quotes. Dependants cannot be included in a super visa application. IRCC is also clear that an invitation letter does not mean a visa will be issued: a visa officer assesses the applicant and decides. The full list is on IRCC’s super visa documents page.
How do I get the letter notarized in Mississauga?
Bring the letter unsigned, along with your original government photo identification and the status document the letter refers to. At Notary Point, beside Square One, you sign in front of the notary, who then signs and seals the letter. Walk in Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Notarization is from $30 per document.
Most visits take about ten minutes. If you would like help putting the letter together, drafting is available and is quoted before we start. Saturdays are by appointment through the booking page.
For what to bring and how the visit works, see our invitation letter service page.
This is general legal information, not legal advice.