British Widow Faces Deportation from Sweden After 22 Years
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A 78-year-old British widow, Joyce Thomas, is struggling with emotional turmoil as the Swedish government threatens to deport her after 22 years in the country.
By George Wright
Published 31 minutes ago
Thomas, a retired nurse, shares her story with the BBC:
"This is absolute hell. I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. You get up in the morning, you don’t know what’s going to happen."
The Swedish migration minister expressed willingness to review the process, stating:
"We will… examine whether there are measures we can take to make the process easier for those affected."
When the UK left the EU in 2020, British citizens’ right to reside in Sweden ended. During a transitional period, applications for residence status were possible, but Thomas and her husband missed this deadline.
Despite numerous applications and appeals, Thomas faces deportation by 8 September. Her lawyers are fighting this decision, but the outcome remains uncertain.
Thomas’ situation highlights the challenges faced by many long-term residents affected by post-Brexit immigration rules.
