Joyce Thomas, 78, a retired nurse, has told the BBC she is struggling to eat or sleep as the Swedish government threatens to deport her over a late post‑Brexit residence application.
The widow moved to Sweden with her husband 22 years ago. Three years after his death from cancer, they were informed that they had to apply for formal residence status after the UK left the EU.
Thomas’s numerous applications and appeals have been rejected, and she now faces a final voluntary departure deadline of 8 September.
She says, “I’m tired, I really am tired and I’m not young anymore.” Her lawyers argue that deportation would uproot her from her son, grandchildren, friends and the grave of her husband.
Following Britain’s exit from the EU on 31 January 2020, UK citizens lost EU right of residence. During a transitional period, they could apply for status under the withdrawal agreement, which ended on 31 December 2021. Thomas was unaware of the requirement until she tried to re‑enter Sweden in 2023.
The Swedish Migration Board (Migrationsverket) told her the voluntary departure deadline was 8 September. Her case illustrates a broader pattern: between 2021 and 2025, 2,490 UK nationals were ordered to leave Sweden—almost a third of more than 7,500 UK nationals ordered to leave the 27 EU Member States.
Migrationsverket did not comment on Thomas’s case without consent, but a week prior they reported that 458 British citizens had been deported or forcibly removed since Brexit.
Sweden’s minister for migration, Johan Forssell, said the current framework was implemented by a previous government and pledged to review the situation. “We want British citizens who live and work in Sweden to remain here,” he said, promising a clearer picture of possible measures.
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office welcomed Sweden’s statement, saying it was ready to support any efforts to ease the process.
