Key facts
- Mark Smith, 60, fears deportation from Sweden due to a post-Brexit residency error.
- Smith has severe health issues including heart attacks, strokes, and high blood pressure.
- He was informed by Swedish authorities that he must leave by October 17.
- Smith and his wife are in hiding in a caravan park.
- A court allowed Smith to apply for a retrial by October 20.
- Smith was told by Swedish tax authorities that he did not need to do anything to remain after Brexit.
A British man with severe health issues, Mark Smith, 60, is in hiding in Sweden with his wife, Petra, fearing deportation due to what he claims is a government Brexit residency error. Smith was informed by Swedish authorities that he must leave the country by October 17, prompting the couple to move out of their home to a caravan park.
Smith, who has lived in Sweden since 2017, stated he was told by the Swedish tax authorities that he did not need to take any action to remain in the country after Brexit. He worked, had private health insurance, and was registered on the population register. However, Sweden was one of 13 EU member states that required Britons to make a formal application to remain post-Brexit.
Smith's troubles began in 2021 when he applied for sickness benefit and was told he should have applied for post-Brexit residency. The couple applied at the end of 2021, meeting the deadline, but their application was rejected because they were not married, despite living together since 2017. They married in 2023.
A court ruled on October 12 that a deportation decision would not be suspended, but granted Smith until October 20 to submit an application for a retrial. Activists say Smith's case is typical of many Britons in Sweden receiving vague or incorrect information from authorities. The UK Foreign Office is providing consular support and raising the issue with Swedish authorities and the European Commission.