Liam’s girlfriend Kate flew home a few days before his death (Image: PA)Liam Payne was reportedly “forced” to remain in Argentina due to visa issues prior to his devastating death. The late singer, who was 31 at the time of his passing, was in the country to watch his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan perform a sold-out gig. However, it’s been reported that his US visa was rejected, leading him to travel to Buenos Aires to renew his “extraordinary visa”, which would then allow him to journey to Florida with his girlfriend, Kate Cassidy. Unfortunately, sources suggest this wasn’t granted due to his past struggles with substance abuse, resulting in him having to stay in Argentina. Liam had openly discussed his battles with addiction and his stints in rehab in an attempt to get better. Liam was said to be completely sober in the lead up to his death.
Liam was stranded in Argentina due to issues with his visa
(Image: Getty Images for BFI)
Now, sources are claiming that his visa was set to be approved on the Friday, just two days after he tragically fell from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room. Friends of Liam have stated that he had to go abroad to renew his “O-1 non-immigration” visa and submitted the application at the American embassy in Buenos Aires, specifically so he could see Niall perform, reports the Mirror. A source told MailOnline: “One of the questions on the form asks, ‘Have you ever abused alcohol or drugs?’ Liam’s problems with drugs and alcohol are well documented. It is widely known that he had been to rehab in the US, so he had to tick the box, and because of this he had to have medical tests. He had to be checked out by a doctor and a psychiatrist. “All this took time. So Liam was forced to stay in Buenos Aires longer than he had planned.”
Liam was said to be sober before his tragic death
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
His O-1 visa is for individuals with extraordinary achievements. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services describe the O-1 non-immigrant visa as for an “individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry and has been recognised nationally or internationally for those achievements.” Friends say Liam passed his medical and psychiatric evaluations and his visa would have been granted. At the time, Liam was “100 per cent sober” and had an embassy meeting scheduled on Thursday to pick up his visa. A friend, who chose to remain anonymous, said they had “no idea” Liam would do “anything stupid” after their last conversation. A forensic report revealed that Liam had sustained 25 injuries due to his devastating fall. The experts noted that the cranioencephalic injuries were severe enough to cause death, while internal and external haemorrhages in the skull, chest, abdomen, and limbs contributed to the cause of death. The forensic team also found no defensive wounds on his hands, indicating that all injuries were life-threatening and occurred simultaneously, with no evidence suggesting third-party involvement.Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.Follow OK! MagazineFacebookTwitterCommentMore OnFriendsOne DirectionLiam PayneNiall Horan
