290 Britons risk deportation from Denmark – leading criticism

British William Hill, 37, took his own life in Denmark shortly after announcing he had to leave the country. The grounds for expulsion were his failure to re-apply to the Danish authorities to allow him to stay as a direct result of the UK’s departure from the EU.

Now he is writing to his Danish fiancee and to leave his job in Denmark to go home to his parents in England. Guardian.

– This would never have happened to me if it wasn’t for Brexit, because I was treated as an EU citizen, he tells The Guardian.

to be condemned

The case of William Hill has gained attention in connection with the deportation of another Briton, Philip Russell, from Denmark under similar circumstances. In both cases they were not informed that they would have to apply to stay in Denmark again as British citizens. When the documents were received too late by the Danish authorities, they were rejected.

Denmark’s immigration authority has received criticism over the case. Among others, Philip Russell called on the UK to “condemn the conduct of Denmark” and that Denmark “is using the incompetence of its own immigration authority as an excuse to deport British citizens”.

These results are also commented on from a political perspective. According to The Guardian, Mads Fuglede, a Danish EU politician from the Venstre party, says the current two cases violate the EU’s withdrawal agreement with Great Britain and has called on Danish immigration authorities to reassess up to 290 cases involving British citizens in Denmark. .

“not interested”

According to the Withdrawal Agreement, British citizens already living in an EU country, and vice versa, have the right to stay, work and enjoy social rights in the country. But you must apply to stay in Denmark and the deadline is 31 December 2021 to reapply for a residence permit. Date not notified to British citizens in Denmark.

William Hill has attempted to appeal the decision, but has so far been denied.

– They asked me to provide a lot of information about my work, my personal life, my relationship with my partner and everything. They asked for photos of me and Ida (William’s Danish fiancee) and eventually refused because I missed a date. “They were completely uninterested in the fact that I had integrated into the country, was working full-time and paying taxes,” Hill told the Guardian.

The Danish Migration Agency did not comment on the specific case, but a spokesperson told the British newspaper that the agency did “everything I could” to make the application process as simple as possible.

At the same time, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a statement that Danish authorities will accept late applications from British citizens if there is reason to miss the application deadline.

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