British man deported from Sweden despite living there since childhood

newsSep 2, 20262179

John Sellers, 34, who moved with his family to Sweden at age 10 and lived there for 24 years, was deported to the UK in January despite recently marrying his Swedish partner, Caroline. Sellers says he fought for nearly seven years to remain in Sweden and contends Brexit is the root cause of his removal. He and supporters say the deportation has left his wife, who has chronic conditions including fibromyalgia and long Covid symptoms, under severe stress and separated from her primary support. Sellers previously tried to secure legal status in Sweden, including applying for Swedish citizenship in September 2021 before the deadline of 31 December, but that application was rejected and two further attempts to remain under family rights failed. The case has prompted intervention from Swedish MP Håkan Svenneling, who has asked migration minister Johan Forssell to review Sweden’s post-Brexit approach after similar cases, including 78-year-old Joyce Thomas and dementia patient George Mason, were told to leave. Sellers says he is still fighting to return to Gothenburg, where he had hoped to build a life with his wife.

Lisa O’Carroll

@lisaocarroll.bsky.social

British man,34, deported from Sweden despite living there since he was 10 years old - another Brexit casualty www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

3345d ago

Eckhard Schwarzat1

The reporting is abysmal by the Guardian, because important facts are omitted. What was his legal status before Brexit in Sweden? If he was not registered, why did he not choose the more sensible path of acquiring registration at the point in time when he choose to start the riskier citizenship app?

jako87.bsky.social1

I don't know the system in Sweden, but if they don't register their citisens, or if they don't register their nationality, there is no way the Swedish government could reach individual British citisens. They do in the Netherlands, so it was easy for them.

Caroline Venezia1

Did he have a residence permit? If not, why not?

Bremain in Spain

@bremaininspain.com

Sellers was aware about Brexit & considered his best option was to apply for Swedish citizenship in Sept 2021, before the deadline of 31 Dec It was rejected, & two attempts to remain in the country under family rights in national migration laws via his partner, now his wife, were also turned down

1245d ago

Heavyrads 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 #FBPE #RejoinEU1

Had he 1st applied for citizenship as a student & presumably planning to make Sweden his home, I would have thought he would be a full citizen by his mid 20s. Not adhering to the expected narrative has consequences & I'm mindful of the slim data - e.g. any breaks in residency etc would be impactful.

Elke Hausmann

@drelke.bsky.social

The supportive husband of a Swedish woman with #LongCovid has been deported from Sweden to the UK, a country he hasn’t lived in since he was 10, because of #Brexit 😖 www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

845d ago

European Movement West London #FBPE #FBPR #RejoinEU

@em-westlondon.bsky.social

Brexit strikes again! #JoinEU “It is time people know how people are being treated here and it is time to show what Brexit has caused.. none of this would have happened were it not for #Brexit,” www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

745d ago

Jonathan Calder

@lordbonkers.bsky.social

"I am very well aware that different countries have different rules on immigration, but none of this would have happened were it not for Brexit."

645d ago

Flingjore

@flingjore.com

Swedish official defends the deportation of British citizens over late post-Brexit residency filings. The rigid enforcement, highlighted by the imminent removal of a 78-year-old widow, underscores Sweden’s uncompromising interpretation of EU withdrawal agreements.

245d ago

Never Again

@neveragaintheysaid.bsky.social

Lazy arsed brits moaning cos they couldn't be bothered to check out their legal status after brexit. If you live in a foreign country you are responsible for checking your immigration status. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

145d ago

Kresten

@kresten2.bsky.social

He could have followed the law and gone for residency like millions of EU citizens living in the UK and million of UK citizens living in Sweden and other MSs. Why didn’t he? When you have no legal right to stay then deportation shouldn’t come as a surprise. No matter government is in place.

345d ago

🦋 𝕮𝖍𝖗𝖎𝖘 𝕿𝖍𝖔𝖗𝖓𝖊®

@thorchrs.bsky.social

👇🇸🇪🇬🇧 Brexit: The Gift That Keeps On Taking "Swedish minister defends strict post-Brexit removals of Britons" #Sweden #UK #BrexitRemovals #Brexit

245d ago

jalumi.bsky.social

@jalumi.bsky.social

2500 Britons told to leave Sweden since Brexit, accounts for one third of all deportations from all EU countries. They're taking a hard line against Britons as foreign nationals, splitting families, even seeking to deport elderly folk with dementia. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

145d ago

hubertineauclert.bsky.social

@hubertineauclert.bsky.social

The Swedish government has doubled down on its position on removing and deporting British citizens on the grounds they were late to apply for permission to stay after #Brexit.

145d ago

David Antoš 🇪🇺

@davidantos.cz

"The migration board has followed up on the application of the withdrawal agreement and the assessment is that Sweden has fulfilled its commitments." This should NEVER be the answer to ruining someone's whole life. On migration, we went absolutely insane! www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

145d ago

Ostfee 🐝 🍩

@lurch.bsky.social

Lots of stories popping up like this from Sweden... www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

145d ago

David S Lindsey

@david-s-lindsey.bsky.social

Minister says Sweden has ‘fulfilled its commitments’ amid criticism of ‘unjust’ decisions such as case of Joyce Thomas www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s...

144d ago

Open Coven

@opencoven.bsky.social

I wonder if Sweden is willing to pay back all the taxes they took from these folks since they are not able to access services www.theguardian.com/world/2026/s... #brexit #immigration

45d ago

1 source

theguardian.comBritish man deported from Sweden despite living there since childhood

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British man deported from Sweden despite living there since childhood

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