British widow, 78, told to leave Sweden under Brexit rules after living there for 21 years
Authorities say application to stay was made too late, as UK officials say Sweden takes ‘stricter approach’ than other EU countries
TL;DR
- Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old British widow living in Sweden for 21 years, is fighting deportation.
- Her application to stay in Sweden post-Brexit was rejected because it was submitted too late, lacking "reasonable grounds" for the delay.
- Sweden has ordered 2,500 Britons to leave the country since Brexit, a number significantly higher than other EU member states.
- The UK's FCDO has expressed concern over Sweden's "hardline" and "stricter approach" to these cases.
- Thomas's husband died in 2023, and she learned about the need for a formal post-Brexit application in 2022.
- She is now taking her case to a higher court with the help of pro bono lawyers.
- Swedish immigration authorities state that simply being unaware of the application requirement is not a sufficient reason for a late submission.