Reason Liam Payne was 'forced' to stay in Argentina before tragic death

Liam Payne was forced to prolong his vacation to Argentina after his visa application to stay in the United States was first denied owing to his drug use, according to a close friend.

Liam Payne attends Annabel's 60th anniversary party on June 8, 2023, in London.

Dave Benett/Getty Images

The One Direction star flew to Buenos Aires to extend his 'exceptional achievement' visa, which would allow him to continue his new life in Florida with girlfriend Kate Cassidy.

Subsequently, his application was denied because he admitted to abusing alcohol and drugs and was had to undergo psychological and medical exams.

However, it was eventually cleared, and he was scheduled to get his passport stamped with the visa on Friday, only two days after dying in a fall from his hotel balcony.

"Everyone is devastated," a member of his inner circle admitted. 'Kate was destroyed.'

His pal added that Payne needed to travel abroad to renew his 'O-1 non-immigration' visa and decided to apply at the US embassy in Buenos Aires so that he could see his former bandmate Niall Horan perform in concert.

'Liam needed to get his US visa extended,' the friend explained.

'He was on an O-1 visa, which is reserved for artists, athletes, and other people of outstanding achievement.

'But one of the questions on the form reads, "Have you ever abused alcohol or drugs?" Liam's issues with drugs and alcohol are widely documented.

'It is commonly known that he had been to rehab in the United States, therefore he had to tick the box, and as a result, he had to undergo medical testing. He had to be examined by a doctor and a psychiatrist.

All of this takes time. So Liam was compelled to stay in Buenos Aires for longer than intended.

According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services website, the O-1 non-immigrant visa is for 'individuals 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 recognized nationally or internationally for those achievements'.

Payne, 31, was given a clean bill of health after medical and psychiatric exams, according to his friend, but died before his passport could be stamped with the renewable visa.

'The test findings were good,' the friend revealed. 'Liam was 100% sober.

'He was meant to meet at the embassy on Thursday and get his visa on Friday. 

'When I last spoke with Liam, I had no idea he would do something stupid.' Payne landed in Argentina with Ms Cassidy on October 1 in time to see Horan perform at the Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires the next evening.

The pair originally stayed in a fancy Airbnb house in the Argentine capital, but were forced to leave after Payne's visa application was delayed and their booking ended.

The singer subsequently booked into the exclusive CasaSur Hotel, and Ms Cassidy returned to their Miami residence on October 12.

Four days later, he fell to his death from the balcony of his third-floor room.