Visa fee may be too high for visitors

I read “Coming to America? Visitors, Ante Up” (On a Budget, July 6) and was horrified to learn that the U.S. raised the nonimmigrant visa application fee to $100. I was thinking that we truly are becoming xenophobic. But when I read Charles Nichols’ response, “At $100, Visa Application Is Still a Bargain” (Letters, July 13), I became infuriated. He thinks it’s worth $1,000? Maybe, in his “God-blessed” existence, he can afford $100 dinners, but to many of the people who want to visit us, it is just plain excessive.

I hope other Americans realize how fortunate we are to be able to travel, almost at will, because so many other countries don’t require the nuisance and expense of having to obtain visas to visit them.

Kathy Hicker

Los Angeles