Visa problems can be an issue even for the most successful and wealthy individuals in the world, as Amir Khan recently found out.
The former light-welterweight world champion reportedly had his visa refused on a recent flight to the US, but a swift call to the Prime Minister soon sorted things out.
He told The Times what happened: “They told me my visa was refused and I couldn't get on the plane. I rang him [David Cameron] and said I had a bit of a problem. He said 'hold on a minute', then he called me back and it was sorted.”
Khan added: “David Cameron takes my calls. He is a good friend ... I rang him and said I had a bit of a problem.”
The Prime Minister's intervention meant that Khan was able to fly to the US in order to commentate on the high profile fight between Marcos Maidana and Floyd Mayweather.
It is unclear exactly why the problem with Khan's visa arose in the first place, but he has suggested that it might have something to do with the fact that he was flying out on September 11th, which just made the “American immigration guys get edgy … they just told me my visa was refused and I couldn't get on the plane”.
This isn't the first time that Cameron and Khan have come together to get things done. Back in 2008 they opened a community centre together in Khan's native Bolton. However, the Olympic silver medallist and former world champion mentioned in the same interview with The Times that he won't pledge any political allegiance to the Conservatives or any other party, noting: “I don't back any party … I am better off setting an example.”