6 WWE Superstars who have reportedly had issues with their visas
WWE has hired many non-American superstars throughout its history. Several are still active in the Stamford-based company, including Doudrop, Finn Balor, and Iyo Sky.
Over the years, however, a few of these former and current non-American WWE Superstars have had issues with their visas. One current superstar missed this year's WrestleMania due to a visa issue. Meanwhile, another former superstar recently disclosed that she is currently not allowed to wrestle in the United States because of visa problems.
Here are six WWE Superstars who have reportedly had issues with their visas.
#6. NXT color commentator Wade Barrett
In 2007, Wade Barrett signed a developmental contract with WWE. Three years later, he won the first season of NXT. The 42-year-old also led The Nexus to invade Monday Night RAW, making his main roster debut in July 2010.
Barrett, however, had visa issues less than a month after his debut on RAW. Hence, he had to return to the United Kingdom after his United States work visa expired, forcing the company to take him off television.
Despite this, Barrett's visa issue was quickly resolved, and he returned to WWE television the following week.
The English wrestler no longer needs a work visa as he obtained United States citizenship last year. Celebrating the occasion, he tweeted a photo of himself holding his new Certificate of Citizenship.
"Today, after 13.5 years of living in this great nation, I have been granted Citizenship of the USA. Thank you [United States flag emoji] for embracing this Englishman. World Cups aside, I will continue to support you in everything you do. To Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Cheers!🍻" Barrett wrote in the caption.
The former leader of The Nexus is no longer an in-ring competitor. Instead, he currently works as a color commentator on NXT.
#5. Former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre
Like Wade Barrett, Drew McIntyre officially signed with WWE in 2007. His work visa also expired three years later. Hence, the company had to take the former WWE Champion off television as he returned to the United Kingdom to renew it.
In his autobiography, "A Chosen Destiny," The Scottish Warrior disclosed how the company merged his real-life visa issue into an on-screen storyline:
"The storyline was that I was getting deported because of visa issues. Teddy [Long] fired me, stripped me of the [Intercontinental] title, and held a four-man tournament for the title in my absence, which Kofi Kingston won. A week later, I showed up in the ring, all swanky in a white suit, bringing a letter from Vince, which I handed to the referee, who read it out. The contents declared the title was still rightfully mine. (...) It was a crazy real life/ring life whirl because I did have to make the roundtrip to the UK to sort out my visa and get back, ready to play my part," he wrote.
McIntyre is currently an active competitor on SmackDown. On September 3, he will go head-to-head against Roman Reigns in an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match at Clash in the Castle.
#4. Former WWE 24/7 Champion Doudrop
After spending two years on NXT UK, Doudrop debuted on the main roster in June 2021. Although the 31-year-old Scottish wrestler looked forward to making her first-ever WrestleMania appearance last April, she had to miss the show due to having visa issues.
In a recent interview with Inside the Ropes, Doudrop commented on being off television for a while earlier this year, revealing that she missed WrestleMania 38 because she had to return to the United Kingdom to renew her visa.
"So not a lot of people know this, but I actually had to leave the US the day after WrestleMania to go and renew my visa in the UK. Because of a lot of the different conflicts going on in the world right now, it was gonna be.. they were unsure how long that process might take. I could have been in the UK for a month as far as they knew. So I couldn’t really have anything on the show because they didn’t know when I was going to be back,” she explained. (H/T: Fightful)
After missing a few weeks of action between late March and early May, Doudrop returned to the ring on the May 9 episode of Monday Night RAW. She is currently a regular competitor on the Red Brand.
Last Monday, the Scottish superstar and her tag team partner Nikki A.S.H. lost to Alexa Bliss and Asuka in the first round of the Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament.
#3 & #2. Former WWE Women's Tag Team Champions The IIconics
After spending nearly six years in WWE, during which they won the Women's Tag Team titles, Cassie Lee (Peyton Royce) and Jessie McKay (Billie Kay) got released from their contracts in April 2021. After their release, the Australian ladies had visa issues that prevented them from working in the United States for a few months.
In an interview with Renee Paquette's Oral Sessions podcast in June 2021, The IIconics opened up about their visa problems:
"The difficult thing for us is, we still don't have our green cards, so we're not allowed to work until we get those or until we find sponsorship anywhere else," Lee said.
McKay then explained the duo's situation further, stating that the legal process of obtaining their green cards has been going on for years:
"People are like, 'What are going to do now?' Well, nothing, because I can't legally work in the country and people think that you apply for the green card and it comes in the mail. This stuff takes years and we've been through the wringer with this, getting stuff denied and switching the process because of the pandemic. It keeps backing up, year after year. We're almost there, but almost there could still be a year away." (H/T: SeScoops)
After nearly six months of absence, The IIconics returned to the ring as The IInspiration on IMPACT Wrestling television. The duo's run, however, lasted only about six months before they announced that they were stepping away from professional wrestling.
Since then, McKay has reportedly landed her first acting role, starring in Matteo Rossi's latest movie, The Charisma Killers. Meanwhile, Lee announced her pregnancy with her first child with her husband, current AEW star Shawn Spears.
#1. Former NXT star Tegan Nox
After wrestling for about four years on the independent circuit, Tegan Nox signed with WWE in 2017. The 27-year-old spent nearly four years in the Stamford-based company before getting released from her contract last November.
Since her departure from WWE, the Welsh wrestler has been absent from in-ring competition. Unlike other released wrestlers, she has not joined any other promotions. Speaking on the Sappenin' podcast, the former NXT star disclosed that she is not legally allowed to work in the United States due to visa issues:
"Basically, because I haven't gotten the visa or green card, I can't wrestle. I keep getting messages, 'Have you retired?' No, I just can't. Legally, I can't. I've just been chilling, in the house, playing video games. I went to Sad Summer Fest a couple of weeks ago, which was phenomenal. Just chilling with my dogs and friends. Usual stuff that I can do without working," she explained. (H/T: Fightful)
Nox last competed in October 2021 when she teamed up with Shotzi to defeat Natalya and Tamina at a live WWE event.
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