Sweden is enforcing a tough crackdown on immigration with a 78-year-old British widow facing deportation despite living there for 21 years because her post-Brexit residence application was too late, reports BritPanorama.
Joyce Thomas was given just four weeks to leave the country in November 2024, three years after her husband died, The Guardian reported.
Mrs Thomas is one of approximately 2,500 British people ordered to leave under what the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has termed a “considerably stricter approach” to Brexit rules.
She learned that she should have made a formal application to remain in Sweden in 2022, prior to Mr Thomas’s death from cancer in 2023.
Her application was rejected in 2024 when officials ruled she could not demonstrate “reasonable grounds” for filing it late. Following this, she applied under national immigration laws but faced a similar rejection.
This situation arises as Sweden tightens its immigration policies, having recently passed legislation allowing deportations based on misconduct and mandating public sector workers to report suspected undocumented individuals.
What are the Brexit rules in Sweden?
Settled status grants EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens who lived in the UK as of December 2020 the right to reside in Sweden post-Brexit.
However, Britons living in Sweden prior to December 2020 must possess a residence status (uppehållsstatus) card according to UK government guidance.
Under the newly implemented digital Entry/Exit System (EES), this card is also required when entering or exiting Sweden. Failure to present one could result in being wrongly flagged as overstaying in the Schengen area.
What does the UK Foreign Office say?
The UK Foreign Office has expressed concerns to the European Commission regarding Sweden’s stricter treatment of late applications compared to other EU member states.
It noted that the refusal rate for late submissions in Sweden stands at over 27%, significantly higher than the average in other EU countries.
In addressing Mrs Thomas’s predicament, Sweden’s migration agency remarked that ignorance of the requirement to apply for Brexit residency did not constitute a “reasonable ground” for remaining in the country.
Peter Kyle, MP for Brighton, characterized Mrs Thomas’s situation as “deeply concerning,” advocating for fair and compassionate treatment of UK nationals, especially given her long residency and family ties in Sweden.
The UK’s immigration strategies and their implications remain a focal point of debate, as the long-term effects of Brexit continue to unfold for British citizens in Europe.
