TORONTO — The U.S. administration’s new Visa Integrity Fee will apply to all inbound visitors travelling to the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa.

The fee, pegged at US$250, will not apply to those who travel with a visa waiver, according to reports, and could also be reimbursed under certain circumstances. There’s no start date yet for the fee.

Permanent residents of Canada require a non-immigrant visa to enter the U.S., meaning they’re subject to the $250 fee.  A Canadian permanent resident is a foreign national who can legally live in Canada but is not yet a Canadian citizen.

According to a report in the National Post, U.S. Travel Association President Geoff Freeman called the fees “foolish”, adding: “Raising fees on lawful international visitors amounts to a self-imposed tariff on one of our nation’s largest exports: international travel spending.”