In brief
Joyce Thomas, a 78‑year‑old former nurse who moved to Sweden in 2004, has been told she must leave the country by 8 September unless she can prove citizenship status. Her husband died three years earlier, and she has lived in Stockholm for 22 years with her son and grandchildren. After years of denied appeals, Thomas is experiencing severe sleep and appetite loss, citing the fear of being forced to leave her family circle. Swedish authorities say they will review the migration framework, while the UK Foreign Office offers support. The case highlights wider issues as nearly 2,500 UK nationals have been identified for removal in Sweden between 2021 and 2025.
Life Disrupted: Joyce Thomas’s 22 Year Journey in Sweden Faces Never‑Ending Uncertainty
Update: as of 18 minutes ago, Swedish officials have set a deadline of 8 September for former nurse Joyce Thomas to voluntarily depart the country or face enforced deportation.
The 78‑year‑old widow moved to Sweden in 2004 with her husband, who died from cancer in 2023. At that time both assumed that living in Stockholm made them permanent residents, unaware that a formal application required under the Brexit withdrawal agreement had been overlooked.
The UK left the EU on 31 January 2020. British citizenship ceased to confer EU rights, and the transitional period for applying for Swedish residence ended on 31 December 2021. When Ms. Thomas tried to re‑enter Sweden in 2023, authorities informed her of the necessity of a residence claim, leading to a series of denied applications and appeals. Her lawyer is still seeking a judicial review.
“I can’t sleep, I can’t eat. I wake up and don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said from her home near Stockholm’s suburbs, underscoring the extreme emotional toll.
The Swedish Migration Department (Migrationsverket) will not comment on her case without consent. A spokesperson confirmed that 458 British citizens have been deported or forcibly removed since the end of the transitional period, and that 2,490 now are due exit orders between 2021 and 2025 – nearly a third of all British nationals facing removal across the EU.
Minister for Migration Johan Forssell said the framework was “implemented by a previous government” and that the current administration “will examine whether there are measures to make the process easier.” He added that Sweden prioritises keeping British citizens who work and live there.
Brits older than Mr. Thomas are not alone. A different family in Sweden recently reported that their father, a dementia patient, faced removal after 20 years of residency. The BBC reports that the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is ready to support any measures Sweden may adopt in light of these cases.
Image: Joyce Thomas, 78, staring into the camera with a muted smile, taken at her home by Felix Andler. © BBC
