Liam Payne was forced to extend his trip to Argentina after his visa application to stay in the United States was initially rejected due to his drug abuse, a close friend has revealed.
The One Direction star traveled to Buenos Aires to renew his ‘extraordinary achievement’ visa, allowing him to continue his new life in Florida with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy.
But his application was not granted because he admitted to abusing alcohol and drugs and had to undergo psychiatric and medical tests.
However, the case was eventually approved and the visa was due to be stamped in his passport on Friday – just two days after he died in a fall from his hotel balcony.
“Everyone is devastated,” a member of his inner circle revealed. “Kate is destroyed.”
Liam Payne was forced to extend his trip to Argentina – which he initially took with girlfriend Kate Cassidy (seen with the singer) – after his visa application to stay in the United States was initially rejected due to his drug abuse, a close friend has revealed
The One Direction star fell to his death from the third floor of his room at the CasaSur Hotel (seen) in Buenos Aires on Wednesday
He had been in town to renew his “extraordinary performance” visa, allowing him to continue his new life in Florida with Ms. Cassidy.
People paying tribute to the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires on Saturday afternoon
Fans consoled each other as they streamed to pay their respects
His friend explained how Payne had to go abroad to renew his ‘O-1 non-immigration’ visa and decided to submit the application to the US Embassy in Buenos Aires so he could meet his former bandmate Niall Horan at a concert see it perform.
“Liam had to renew his US visa,” the friend said.
‘He had an O-1 visa, intended for artists, athletes and other people with extraordinary achievements.
“But 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 common knowledge that he was in recovery in the US, so he had to tick the box and therefore he had to undergo medical tests. He had to be examined by a doctor and a psychiatrist.
‘All this took time. So Liam had to stay in Buenos Aires longer than he had planned.’
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website describes the O-1 nonimmigrant visa as being for an “individual who possesses extraordinary abilities in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics, or who has a demonstrated record of of extraordinary achievements in the sciences, the arts, education, business or athletics. film or television industry and has been recognized nationally or internationally for these achievements’.
Payne, 31, was given a clean bill of health after medical and psychiatric tests, his friend claims, but died before he could get his passport stamped with the renewed visa.
Kate had originally flown to Buenos Aires with Liam to attend his former bandmate Niall Horan’s concert on October 4
The pair were photographed together at Wimbledon last year
Liam rose to fame with the band One Direction. He is pictured with band members (left-right) Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik
Fans were seen mourning the singer’s death in Buenos Aires on Thursday after the news was confirmed
Fans cry at the hotel where Liam died on October 19
“The results of the tests were good,” the friend revealed. “Liam was 100 percent sober.
‘He was supposed to have a meeting at the embassy on Thursday and pick up his visa on Friday.
“When I last spoke to Liam, I had no idea he was going to do something stupid.” Payne arrived in Argentina with Ms. Cassidy on October 1, in time to attend Horan’s concert at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires the following evening.
The couple initially stayed in a luxury Airbnb property in the Argentine capital, but were forced to move when Payne’s visa application was delayed and their booking expired.
The singer then checked into the CasaSur boutique hotel, while Ms Cassidy returned to their Miami home on October 12.
Four days later he collapsed to his death from the balcony of his third-floor suite.
