Sayonara, USA! Khaby Lame Bids Adieu After Visa Fiasco in L.A.V. (Las Vegas, Baby!)
Visa Expires: US Authorities Deport TikTok Sensation Khaby Lame Following Arrest (due to expired visa status) - Visa Expiration Leads to Arrest and Departure of TikToker Khaby Lame from the U.S.
Hey there!
Khaby Lame, the chunky-chinned, silent, stunt-poking, viral sensation, is a ghost in the windy plains of the USA—or Las Vegas, to be exact. The Italy-Senegal native, famed for his TikTok shenanigans, disappeared from the limelight after a run-in with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) at Harry Reid International Airport.
His discerning eye for the absurd, toppling over 162 million followers, sparked his meteoric ascent to fame. The laughter began in 2020, when he found himself unemployed and roaming the halls of his apartment complex in Chivasso near Turin.
His videos, a jest on the myriad staged tutorials on online networks, had audiences rolling on the floor, minting him a millionaire. According to the illustrious business magazine, "Forbes," Lame earned an estimated $16.5 million (€14.5 million) between June 2022 and September 2023, mainly from marketing agreements with top-notch companies.
But this time, it wasn't a viral clip that stole the spotlight—it was the sucker punch from the U.S. immigration policy. After landing in the USA on April 30, 2025, Lame allegedly overstayed the terms of his visa, leading to his detainment by the long arm of the law.
Rather than receiving a formal deportation order, which would have barred him from stepping foot in the States for up to a decade, Lame was granted a voluntary departure. This allowed him to evade a official deportation record, making it conceivably easier for him to waltz back into the USA if he applies for another visa. Lame has kept schtum about the ordeal.
Bye-bye, Khaby! We'll miss your charisma and relentless takedowns of life's most absurd predicaments. Until we meet again, keep it classy and watch your visa expiration dates!
- Tiktok
- Arrest
- Immigration policy
- USA
- Visa
- Las Vegas
[1] Khaby Lame Not Officially Deported but Voluntarily Leaves U.S. After Visa Violation, US Immigration Agency Says. (2025). [USA Today]. Available: https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2025/10/01/khaby-lame-not-deported-but-voluntarily-leaves-u-s-after-visa-violation-us-immigration-agency-says/63125598007/
[2] Lame, Khaby (2023). In Wikipedia. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khaby_Lame
[3] Khaby Lame (2023). Forbes. Available: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ricardofuria/2023/09/29/khaby-lame-net-worth-185-million-forbes-2023-celebrity-100-list/?sh=78cb944749d1
- Despite the entertainment industry's interest, Khaby Lame's departure from the USA was not a result of a general-news event or a crime-and-justice incident, but due to a complication with his employment policy and visa status.
- As countries within the European Union (EC) make immigration policies more flexible, it's possible that Khaby Lame, having left the USA due to a visa issue, may consider relocating in the future, taking advantage of more lenient employment and immigration regulations.
