Brexit deportation threat lifted for Britons living in Denmark after immigration mistake
Denmark has backtracked on its decision to deport some British citizens living in the country who failed to apply for post-Brexit residency permits by December 2021. The December 31, 2021, deadline was not properly communicated to a large number of Britons living in Denmark, resulting in a lot of them missing out on the possibility to remain in the country.
Now the Danish Immigration and Integration Ministry has handed them a lifeline.
At least 350 Britons were caught out by the original deadline and in 2022 authorities began the process of deporting them.
A new deadline has now been set for December 31, 2023.
Kaare Dybvad Bek, the immigration and integration minister, said: “I am very happy that we have found this solution.
“It has always been the government’s intention to make it easy and flexible for the British citizens living here to stay in Denmark.
“There are some who did not manage to apply, and it is particularly them we would like to give an extra chance.
“That is why I am pleased that all Britons who applied too late will now have the opportunity to have their application processed so that they can continue their lives in Denmark.”
Philip Russell, who was told to leave the country last May, said the news was “long overdue”.
He told The Guardian: “Many people will have had their applications rejected and [been] intimidated into leaving and going back to the UK.
“There will be a massive cost to that, they will have left jobs, possibly families.”
Will Hill, who also returned to the UK and was forced to re-enter Denmark on a work visa, told the newspaper the new deadline was a “huge relief”.
He said: “It feels right that they have reversed the decision and accepted that errors were made.”
Eurostat data revealed that more than 2,250 British citizens were told to leave European Union countries since the end of the Brexit transition period.
