What IRCC actually requires for Super Visa insurance

Super Visa insurance requirements: the five conditions in full

Your parent or grandparent needs private medical insurance that satisfies all five of the following. These come from IRCC, not from the insurer, so no broker can waive any of them.

• At least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage.
• Valid for at least one year from the date they enter Canada, and valid for each entry.
• Covers health care, hospitalization and repatriation.
• Paid for, in full or in instalments with a deposit. A quote or an unpaid application is not accepted.
• Available for a border services officer to review on request.

Does Super Visa insurance have to be from a Canadian company?

No, and this is the point most pages still get wrong. Until 28 January 2025 the policy had to come from a Canadian insurance company. IRCC now also accepts a policy from an insurer outside Canada, as long as that company is authorized by the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) to provide accident and sickness insurance, appears on OSFI’s public list of federally regulated financial institutions, and issued the policy through its insurance business in Canada.

All three conditions have to be true together. An ordinary travel policy bought in India, the Philippines or the UK does not qualify simply because it covers Canada.

In practice most families still buy from a Canadian insurer, because it takes one step instead of three to show the policy qualifies. If you want to use an insurer outside Canada, check the company against OSFI’s list before you pay for anything.

How long does Super Visa insurance need to last?

At least one year — but the year runs from the date of entry to Canada, not the date you buy. If you buy in March and your mother arrives in June, a policy that expires the following March does not satisfy the requirement, because it covers only nine months of her stay.

Set the policy start date to the expected arrival date. If the flight moves, ask the insurer to move the start date before departure rather than after.

Do you need to show proof of insurance at the airport?

A border services officer can ask to see proof of the policy on arrival, and can refuse entry if it cannot be produced. Approval of the visa does not remove this: the check can happen on any entry, not just the first.

Send the policy document to your parent before they travel, and have them keep a printed copy as well as one on their phone. Roaming and airport wifi are not things to rely on at a border.

Does Super Visa insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Most policies cover a pre-existing condition only if it has been stable for a set period before coverage starts, commonly 90, 120 or 180 days depending on the insurer and the plan.

Stable generally means no new symptoms, no new diagnosis, no change in medication or dosage, no new treatment and no hospitalization during that window. A medication change your father considers routine — a different dose of the same blood pressure tablet — can restart the clock under some wordings.

Each insurer defines stability in its own words, and this is the single most common reason a Super Visa claim is denied. If there is any history at all, the definition in the specific policy matters more than the headline price.

Is Super Visa insurance refundable if the visa is refused?

Most Canadian insurers refund the premium in full if the Super Visa application is refused, on proof of the refusal letter. If your parent returns home before the policy ends, a partial refund of the unused portion is usually available provided no claim has been made.

Refund terms are set by the insurer, not by IRCC, and they differ. Ask what the terms are before you buy rather than after a refusal, when your options are whatever the policy already says.

What else a Super Visa application needs

Insurance is one requirement among several. A Super Visa application also depends on the host in Canada being the applicant’s biological or adopted child or grandchild, on that host meeting the minimum necessary income, and on a letter of invitation. Those sit outside insurance, and IRCC’s own pages are the authority on them.

A Super Visa permits stays of up to five years per entry, which is why the insurance is renewed annually rather than bought once for the whole period.

The requirement at a glance

Requirements published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, last confirmed against canada.ca in October 2026. IRCC can change these; check the current page before you rely on this. Policy features vary by insurer and the terms of the policy contract prevail. General information, not advice on a specific policy.

Common questions

How much Super Visa insurance does IRCC require?

At least $100,000 in emergency medical coverage, valid for a minimum of one year from the date of entry to Canada, covering health care, hospitalization and repatriation.

Can I buy Super Visa insurance from outside Canada?

Yes, since 28 January 2025, but only from a company authorized by OSFI to provide accident and sickness insurance, that appears on OSFI’s public list of federally regulated financial institutions, and that issued the policy through its insurance business in Canada. An ordinary travel policy bought abroad does not qualify.

Does the one year run from purchase or from arrival?

From the date of entry to Canada. A policy bought months before arrival must still provide a full year of cover starting from the day they land, so set the policy start date to the expected arrival date.

Is a quote enough to submit with the application?

No. IRCC requires the policy to be paid for, in full or in instalments with a deposit. A quote or an unpaid application is not accepted as proof.

What happens if we cannot show the policy at the airport?

A border services officer can ask for proof of the policy on any entry and can refuse entry if it cannot be produced. Carry a printed copy as well as a digital one.

Are pre-existing conditions covered?

Usually only if the condition has been stable for a set period before coverage begins, commonly 90, 120 or 180 days depending on the insurer. Stability generally means no new symptoms, diagnosis, medication change, treatment or hospitalization in that window, and each insurer defines it differently.

Can we get a refund if the Super Visa is refused?

Most Canadian insurers refund the premium in full on proof of the refusal letter, and offer a partial refund of the unused portion if the visitor returns home early with no claim made. Terms are set by the insurer and differ, so confirm them before buying.