Key facts
- Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old British widow, is facing deportation from Sweden after living there for 21 years.
- Her appeal against deportation was rejected by the administrative court in Luleå, upholding the Swedish Migration Agency's decision.
- The rejection is based on her application to remain being filed after the December 2021 cut-off date, a deadline she claims she was not adequately informed about.
- Thomas argues that deportation is disproportionate and that she has a strong support network in Sweden, including her son and grandchildren.
- Failure to leave voluntarily within four weeks could result in a re-entry ban into Schengen countries.
- The case raises concerns about the implementation of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement for British nationals residing in EU member states.
Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old British widow who has lived in Sweden for 21 years, is facing deportation after her appeal against the Swedish Migration Agency's decision was rejected. The court ruled that her application to remain was filed after the December 2021 deadline, a deadline she claims she was not properly informed about. Thomas expressed extreme distress, describing her situation as 'hell' and feeling 'sick with worry' about being uprooted from her home, family, and friends, as well as her late husband's grave.
Her legal representatives argued that deporting her solely for missing a deadline due to insufficient information was disproportionate. However, the court stated that no circumstances indicated she was particularly vulnerable, noting her UK pension and another son residing in the UK. Thomas countered that her entire support network, including doctors, friends, and church members, is in Sweden, with 23 people testifying in her support.
If Thomas does not leave voluntarily within four weeks, she could face a forced deportation and a re-entry ban into Schengen countries. The case has drawn attention from groups like 'British in Sweden,' which argues that this outcome was not the intended consequence of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement and calls for action from the UK, EU, and Swedish authorities to address such issues.