British Widow Joyce Thomas Faces Deportation After 22 Years in Sweden

Wed Sep 09 2026 02:24:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

78‑year‑old Joyce Thomas, a long‑time resident of Sweden, may be deported under post‑Brexit residency rules, drawing attention to shifting migration policies.

British nurse Joyce Thomas, who moved to Sweden 22 years ago, is facing deportation after Swedish authorities discovered she had not applied for residency following Brexit. The 78‑year‑old has fought multiple appeals, but the Migrationsverket deadline looms. Her case highlights wider questions over migration rules for UK nationals settled in Sweden for decades.

Joyce Thomas, 78, could be forced to leave Sweden where she has lived for 22 years. She told the BBC she is struggling to eat or sleep as the Swedish government threatens to deport her for failing to re‑apply for residency after the UK’s exit from the EU.

Thomas, a retired nurse, had moved to Sweden with her husband who died of cancer three years ago. She was unaware that the Brexit transition ended on 31 December 2021, meaning she no longer had the right to stay in the country without a formal application.

The Migrationsverket has rejected many of her requests and the latest deadline for her voluntary departure is 8 September. She says the threat of leaving her son, grandchildren and her husband’s grave is “absolute hell”.

Swedish Minister for Migration Johan Forssell said the current rule was set by a previous government and that the ministry will "look closely at the situation and examine whether measures can be taken to make the process easier for those affected". He added that the UK remains an important partner and that the government wants British citizens who live and work in Sweden to remain here.

Opposition MP Håkan Svenneling criticised what he described as an inhumane migration policy and urged that Sweden’s upcoming election turn the tide in favour of reforms allowing people like Thomas to stay.

Eurostat data shows 2,490 UK nationals were ordered to leave Sweden between 2021 and 2025, a figure almost one‑third of the 7,500 UK nationals ordered to leave the EU mainland. The Migrationsverket said it could not discuss Thomas’s case without her consent, but reported that 458 British citizens have already been deported or forcibly removed since Brexit.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office welcomed the Swedish authorities' promise to review the situation and stated the UK was ready to support any reasonable measures.

For further context, read the BBC investigation on the threat of deporting a dementia patient after 20 years in Sweden: Legal bid to stop dementia patient’s deportation.