A 78-year-old British widow, Joyce Thomas, has expressed distress after losing an appeal against deportation from Sweden, where she has resided for 21 years. The case is part of an ongoing dispute concerning Sweden's implementation of Brexit policies.
Thomas stated on Thursday from her home in Sweden, “I am in shock. I feel sick. An individual’s life is at stake at my age. It is hell. I have done nothing wrong.” She added that she is self-sufficient and contributes financially to the country.
The administrative court in Luleå upheld the Swedish migration agency's decision, ruling that Thomas was ineligible to stay because her application was submitted in 2023, after the December 2021 deadline. Her legal representatives argued that deportation was not proportionate given she missed the deadline due to insufficient information and a lack of notification from Swedish authorities.
Thomas now faces the prospect of receiving a letter from the migration agency, which would give her four weeks to leave voluntarily. Failure to comply could result in forced deportation and a potential re-entry ban into Schengen countries.