British Widow Faces Deportation from Sweden After 22 Years

Tue Sep 08 2026 18:29:36 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 78‑year‑old British widow, Joyce Thomas, may be deported from Sweden after failing to secure residence status post‑Brexit, prompting a desperate appeal.

Joyce Thomas, a retired British nurse, has spent 22 years living in Sweden with her husband before his death. After the UK left the EU, she failed to apply for residence status and has faced repeated rejections, culminating in a looming deportation deadline of 8 September. The Swedish migration minister says the government will examine ways to ease the process, while Thomas fears alienation from family and friends. The case highlights broader concerns as thousands of UK nationals face expulsion from Sweden and other EU states.

British widow faces deportation from Sweden after 22 years

Joyce Thomas wearing a blue jumper in her home — Joyce Thomas, 78, is facing deportation away from her son, grandchildren and husband’s grave

A 78‑year‑old British widow 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.

Joyce Thomas, a retired nurse, moved to Sweden 22 years ago with her husband, who passed away from cancer three years ago. They were told by Swedish authorities that they had needed to apply for residence status after the UK left the EU.

Thomas has had several applications and appeals rejected; this Tuesday marks the latest deadline for her to leave voluntarily. “This is absolute hell,” she tells the BBC from her home in Sweden. “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 said the government will examine whether “there are measures we can take to make the process easier for those affected” by the EU‑UK withdrawal agreement. When the UK left the EU on 31 January 2020, British citizens lost their status as EU citizens and could no longer stay in Sweden with a right of residence. A transitional period allowed applications under the withdrawal agreement until 31 December 2021.

Thomas claims she and her husband were unaware of the need to submit an application and was only told of the rule after attempting to re‑enter Sweden in 2023. Her lawyers argue against the deportation, but she still awaits a government response. She fears leaving her son, grandchildren, friends and husband’s grave behind.

Eurostat data shows that between 2021 and 2025, 2,490 UK nationals were ordered to leave Sweden—almost a third of those ordered to leave the 27 EU member states during the same period. Migrationsverket said it could not comment without Thomas’s consent but revealed that 458 British citizens have already been deported or forcibly removed since Brexit.

Swedish minister for migration, Johan Forssell, explained that the current framework was set by a previous government and that “the rules should be applied generously.” He added that the UK is an important partner and wishes British citizens who live and work in Sweden to remain here. “We are in dialogue with the relevant Swedish authorities to explore possible measures,” the minister said.

A spokesperson from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office welcomed the Swedish authorities’ statement and offered support.