Super Visa Emergency Medical Travel Insurance

On December 1, 2011 the Government of Canada Department of Citizenship and Immigration amended legislation for family reunification. Our former compassionate minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney cut the wait time for family reunification from as long as eight years to eight weeks. At the time there were over 160,000 applicants in the pipeline backlogged awaiting permanent residence in Canada. Due to the sheer volume of applicants in the pipeline, children and grandchildren were waiting as long as eight years to be reunited with their parents and grandparents. While the super visa is not permanent residency, many parents and grandparents did not want to immigrate to Canada, they wanted to be able to see their children and grandchildren without waiting for a visa for each visit or having the to renew their visitor's visa after six month. The new super visa is a multiple entry visa valid for up to ten years allowing for visits of up to two years per visit. The super visa does not affect an application for a permanent residence to Canada, you can have both simultaneously.

After the super visa program was launched due to the mandatory emergency medical travel insurance requirements paralegals, lawyers, children and grandchildren were looking for information. Gary Goldshmidt Managing Director of Stone-Hedge Financial Group Inc. was the one of the first insurance brokers in Canada to publish commentaries on the immigration blog canadavisa.com. Stone-Hedge Financial Group Inc. was also one of the first insurance brokers in Canada to offer super visa emergency medical travel insurance. Our commentary has been read and used by thousands of people. Many have contacted us to express their gratitude for providing information to them free of charge. Gary Goldshmidt is known across Canada as one the leading experts on super visa emergency medical travel insurance. 

The Government of Canada department of Citizenship and Immigration requires that when submitting an application for a super visa that an insurance certificate/policy be enclosed together with the other documents.  

The requirements for emergency medical travel insurance are as follows:

1. 1. a minimum of $100,000 of coverage for one year paid up front;

   2. must be purchased from a Canadian insurance company;  

   3. include an additional benefit called repatriation.

Insuring older ages can be challenging especially when dealing with pre-existing conditions. Emergency medical travel insurance policies were never designed for long term visits of two years. Insurance companies had to amend their visitors to Canada policies to meet the requirements for the super visa. More insurance brokers started to offer super visa emergency medical travel insurance, however few have the expertise that Stone-Hedge Financial Group Inc. has developed internally.

Super visa emergency medical travel insurance is a complex product. The only thing an online quote will give you is a comparison of rates, we have not seen a website that takes into account all the other variables that one needs to consider before purchasing a policy. Providing good service takes time and cost money. In many cases people have contacted us for information or assistance, both of which we are happy to provide. Providing a quote that is accurate and meets the client's needs is more complicated than just giving a quote from a rate sheet based on age.  

The other variables that need to be taken into consideration include but not limited to the following:

• Is the super visa application for grandparent(s) and/or parent(s) who are already in Canada?

• Do the parent(s) and/or grandparent(s) have any pre-existing conditions?

• Do the parent(s) and/or grandparent(s) intend to travel to other counties?

• Do the parent(s) and/or grandparent(s) need the flexibility to travel back and forth between Canada and their country of origin within the one year policy period?

• Does the insurance company charge a cancellation fee if the super visa is denied to issue a refund?

• Do the parent(s) and/or grandparents intend to visit Canada for a short period of time, or uncertain for how long they will be visiting and would like a policy that offers a partial refund on the unused portion of their coverage?

• What is the purpose of the visit? Not all visits are for family reunification in some cases people will be traveling to seek medical treatment or a medical procedure.

• What documentation is required to substantiate your claim with an insurance company?

• Do your parents or grandparents require a policy that is more comprehensive and provides additional coverage not just for medical emergencies?

• What optional benefits are included in the super visa emergency medical travel insurance policy, or are available for to be purchased as an optional benefit. Optional benefits can include accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D), trip interruption and cancellation, trip interruption, baggage, flight accident and car rental insurance?

According to the Government of  Canada Department of Citizenship and Immigration web site applicant(s) for a super visa need to meet the following requirements: 

To apply for the parent and grandparent super visa, you must:

1. 1. be the parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada;

   2. be found admissible to Canada; and

   3. meet certain other conditions.

Note: You cannot include dependants in this application. Only your spouse or common-law partner is eligible to accompany you under this provision.

Visa officers consider several factors before deciding if a person is admissible. The person must be a genuine visitor to Canada who will leave by choice at the end of their visit.

The factors that are considered include:

1. 1. the person’s ties to the home country;

   2. the purpose of the visit;

   3. the person’s family and financial situation;

   4. the overall economic and political stability of the home country; and

   5. an invitation from a Canadian host.

In addition to being found admissible to Canada, the parent or grandparent must also:

1. 1. provide a written commitment of financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada who meets a minimum income threshold;

   2. prove that they have bought Canadian emergency medical insurance coverage for at least one year; and

   3. complete an Immigration Medical Examination.

In order to obtain a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, you will need to submit an Application for a Temporary Resident Visa [IMM 5257](PDF, 273KB) to a visa office and provide certain additional documents to support your application.

Visa-exempt visitors

If you do not need a visitor visa to enter Canada, you are still eligible for the benefits of the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa.

If you would like to enjoy a two-year authorized stay in Canada, you must:

1. 1. submit an Application for a Temporary Resident Visa [IMM 5257] to the nearest visa office; and

   2. provide additional supporting documents with the application. 

Source: Government of Canada Citizenship and Immigration

Stone-Hedge Financial Group Inc. has received hundreds of calls regarding how to apply for a super visa. We are insurance brokers not legal or medical professionals, we can guide you based on our experience but cannot provide legal, medical, or other advice beyond the scope of our services. If you have applied for a visitor's visa or a super visa and have been denied you need to address the reason why you were denied prior to resubmitting a new application. We would advise you to contact Citizenship and Immigration Canada and/or seek independent legal advice from a licensed legal professional such as an immigration lawyer or licensed paralegal registered in your province of residence. 

If your parent or grandparent has a serious medical condition, insurance companies are not always able to insure all pre-existing conditions. Take into consideration your parent and/or grandparent age and state of health, as it may not always permit travel. Consider waiting until their condition is stable before your parents and/or grandparents travels.  

If you are submitting an application by yourself, document your parents and/or grandparents ties to their country of origin. Ties to the country of origin can include but limited to the following:

1. 1. a home in the home country;

   2. a spouse or common-law partner or dependants who stayed in the home country;

   3. personal property in the home country, such as a car or furniture; and social ties in home country.

The other factor that is often taken into consideration is if your parent(s) and/or grandparent(s) have traveled for business or pleasure to other countries in the past.

Starting on February 6, 2014, all visa applicants will automatically be considered for a multiple entry visa. The visa officer reviewing your application may be able to give you this type of visa even if you applied for a single entry visa.

A multiple entry visa allows visitors to come and go from Canada for six months at a time, without having to reapply each time. It can be valid for up to 10 years, or one month before your passport expires, whichever is earlier. You must arrive in Canada on or before the expiry date on your visa.

A single entry visa allows you to come to Canada only one time. Once you have left Canada, excluding travel to the United States and St. Pierre and Miquelon, you will need a new visa to travel back to and enter Canada.

If your visa is still valid and you are travelling only and directly to the United States (including its Territories and Possessions) or St. Pierre and Miquelon, you do not need a new visitor visa to return to Canada. If your visa expires before returning to Canada from one of these areas, and you are not in possession of a valid visitor record, work permit, study permit, or temporary resident permit (authorizing re-entry), you will need to get a new visitor visa.

Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada

Super Visa not required for short term visits of six month of less.

Once again our compassionate Canadian government has made it affordable and easier to visit family and friends. You no longer need to spend thousands of dollars for insurance you never intended to use to have your parents and/or grandparent visit you in Canada. You can now apply for a visitor visa and still be eligible for a 10 year multiple entry visa. You only need to buy insurance for the duration of the visit. If you have a claim you will no longer lose thousands of dollars in premium.

With a Super Visa insurance has to be purchased for one year regardless of the duration of the visit. If one had a claim there would be no partial refunds on the policy. The new visitor visa provides an affordable alternative for short term visits without sacrificing the benefits of having a 10 year multiple entry visa. 

Stone-Hedge Financial Group Inc. offers Super Visa emergency medical travel insurance for parents and/or grandparents to all Canadian Provinces and Territories including: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territory, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and Yukon Territory. 

Emergency Medical 24/7 contact numbers are staffed with people that can speak any language, you are never alone regardless of the country you are traveling from and what language you are able to communicate in.

We can provide coverage for Super Visa Emergency Medical Travel Insurance  for Parent(s) and/or Grandparent(s) from any country in the world including:

If you are looking for a quote, require additional information or already have a policy but would like to change coverage or have your existing policy reviewed prior to renewal, Stone-Hedge Financial Group Inc. would be happy to assist you.  Talking to our experienced insurance brokers won't cost you a cent and peace of mind is priceless. 

We offer emergency medical travel insurance from Canada's leading insurance companies that specialize in travel insurance. Why take a chance dealing with an unlicensed insurance professional.

The information provided on this web site is intended for general information only. It should not be construed as legal, accounting, tax or specific insurance and investment advice. Clients should consult a professional advisor concerning their situations and any specific insurance and investment matters. While reasonable steps have been taken to ensure that this information was accurate as of the date hereof, Stone-Hedge Financial Group Inc. and its affiliates make no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of this information and assume no responsibility for reliance upon it.