Super Visa Invitation Letter
What a Super Visa invitation letter must contain, who writes and signs it, whether it needs notarizing, and the omissions that weaken an otherwise strong application.
What should a Super Visa invitation letter include?
The invitation letter is written and signed by the child or grandchild in Canada, and it must set out the relationship, the purpose and expected length of the visit, where the parent will stay, and an explicit commitment to provide financial support. It is assessed as evidence, not treated as a courtesy, so a letter that only expresses a welcome leaves the officer’s actual questions unanswered.
Check the current figure before you rely on it
We do not publish any current format or content guidance IRCC publishes for invitation letters on this page, because government fees, thresholds and processing estimates are revised on their own schedule and an out-of-date number here would be worse than none. IRCC publishes the current figure directly: check it on canada.ca. If you would rather have it confirmed against your own circumstances, book a consultation.
The invitation letter carries more weight in a Super Visa application than most families expect. It is where the officer looks to understand who is inviting whom, on what terms, for how long, and who is financially responsible. A vague letter forces the officer to infer those answers, and inference rarely favours the applicant.
It is also the one document written from scratch rather than obtained, which means it is entirely within your control, and it is worth the time to write properly.
What the letter must establish
Treat each of the following as a question the officer needs answered, and make sure the letter answers it explicitly.
- Who you are: full name, date of birth, address in Canada, and your status as a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or person registered under the Indian Act.
- Who you are inviting: full name, date of birth, address, and their relationship to you, stated plainly.
- The purpose of the visit, described specifically rather than as "to visit family".
- The expected length of stay and the intended dates, and where a long stay is planned, why.
- Where the parent or grandparent will live during the visit, including whether it is your home and who else lives there.
- An explicit undertaking to provide financial support and, where relevant, accommodation for the duration of the stay.
- Your household composition, which should be consistent with the family size used in the income calculation.
- Your signature and the date. An unsigned letter is a weak document.
Consistency with the rest of the application
The letter is read alongside the income evidence and the forms, and inconsistencies between them are noticed. If the letter describes a household of four but the income calculation was done for a family of six, that discrepancy invites questions about both.
The same applies to dates. If the letter proposes a six-month visit while the application argues for a five-year visa, explain the relationship between the two rather than leaving them to appear contradictory. Officers are not looking for a reason to refuse, but unexplained inconsistency is exactly what triggers closer scrutiny.
Does the invitation letter need to be notarized?
A Super Visa invitation letter does not generally need to be notarized. What matters far more is that it is signed, dated, specific and supported by the documents that prove what it claims: proof of your status, proof of income, and evidence of the relationship.
Notarization does not make an unsupported claim credible. A plainly written, signed letter accompanied by strong evidence is worth considerably more than a notarized letter that is vague about the things the officer needs to know.
Common weaknesses
These are the patterns that show up repeatedly in letters attached to refused applications.
- A short, warm letter that welcomes the parent but never states the financial commitment.
- No mention of accommodation, leaving open where the visitor will actually live.
- A copied template with details that do not match the family’s real circumstances.
- Omitting the host’s status, or referring to it without providing the proof.
- No indication of the length of stay, which is central to a visa that can authorize five years at a time.
- Household details that contradict the income calculation elsewhere in the application.
Licensed & up to date
Prepared and reviewed by Rami Khattouf, RCIC #R531957, a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant in good standing with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC). Last reviewed August 2026. Immigration rules, fees and processing times change. We verify every file against current official IRCC guidance before applying. This page is general information, not advice for your specific case.
Invitation Letter: common questions
The child or grandchild in Canada writes and signs it. It is their invitation, their financial commitment and their status being relied on, so it cannot be written by the visiting parent or by a third party on their behalf.
Generally no. A signed, dated and specific letter supported by proof of status, income and relationship is what matters. Notarization does not add credibility to claims that are not otherwise evidenced.
Yes, and it should be specific. The Super Visa can authorize stays of up to five years at a time, so the intended length of stay is directly relevant and leaving it unstated is a real omission.
One child or grandchild acts as the host whose income and status are assessed, and that person writes the letter. Other family members can provide supporting letters, but they do not replace the host’s letter or their financial commitment.
Update the letter so it matches the rest of the application. Household composition feeds the income calculation, and a letter that contradicts the family size used elsewhere invites scrutiny of both.
Related Super Visa questions
Document Checklist
What documents are needed for a Super Visa application?
Income Requirements
What income do I need to show for a Super Visa?
Processing Time
How long does a Super Visa take to process?
Super Visa overview
The full guide to the Super Visa, including eligibility and how it compares with sponsorship.