British Widow Faces Deportation From Sweden After 22 Years

Tue Sep 08 2026 17:57:32 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Joyce Thomas, 78, battles deportation as Swedish authorities push for late residency application; she struggles to sleep and eat amid legal appeals.

Joyce Thomas, a 78‑year‑old British widow, has lived in Sweden for 22 years but is now facing deportation because she missed a required residency application after Brexit. The Swedish migration agency gave her a voluntary departure deadline of 8 September, and she has been denied multiple appeals. Thomas has described the situation as “absolute hell,” saying she cannot sleep or eat. Swedish officials say they will review the rules, while the UK government offers support. The case highlights a broader Brexit‑related migration crisis affecting thousands of UK nationals in the EU.

British Widow Faces Deportation From Sweden After 22 Years

Joyce Thomas, 78, has told the BBC that she is struggling to eat or sleep as the Swedish government threatens to deport her for failing to submit a post‑Brexit residence application on time.

Thomas, a retired nurse, moved to Sweden 22 years ago with her husband, who passed away from cancer three years earlier. They were only made aware that they needed a formal application after Brexit when she attempted to re‑enter the country in 2023.

She has had several applications and appeals rejected, and a latest deadline of 8 September has been set for voluntary departure. “This is absolute hell,” she said, “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 measures can ease the process for those affected by the EU‑UK withdrawal agreement. Swedish officials noted that the current rules were introduced by a previous administration and that the government is already in dialogue to find solutions.

Thomas’s lawyer is contesting the deportation, but the outcome remains uncertain. She fears leaving her son, grandchildren, friends and her husband’s grave behind. “I’m tired, I really am tired and I’m not young anymore,” she added, demanding empathy for someone who has built a life over two decades in Sweden.

According to Eurostat data, between 2021 and 2025 a total of 2,490 UK nationals were ordered to leave Sweden, almost a third of the 7,500 UK nationals ordered to leave all 27 EU Member States during that period. Of those, 458 have already been deported or forcibly removed since Brexit.

A spokesperson for the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office welcomed Sweden’s statement about reviewing the issue and said the UK is ready to support the effort.