Sweden faces scrutiny over deportation of long-term British residents

Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old retired British nurse, is facing deportation from Sweden after living there for 22 years. The legal issue stems from a failure to submit a formal residence application following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union. Thomas and her late husband were reportedly unaware that they needed to apply for new status before the transitional period ended on December 31, 2021.

Swedish migration authorities, Migrationsverket, rejected her applications, stating that ignorance of the requirement was not sufficient justification for an exception. While an administrative court in Luleå initially upheld the decision, Thomas has been granted a temporary reprieve to allow her lawyers to file a request for a review.

Thomas is not an isolated case; Swedish authorities have confirmed the deportation or forced removal of 458 British citizens since Brexit. The Swedish migration minister has stated the government will examine whether measures can be taken to ease the process for those affected by the consequences of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement.