I'm EEA in the UK, I want my Russian parents to visit!

[rsuk]

I applied for a "Family Member of an EEA National" visa for my parents.

According to https://www.gov.uk/family-permit it says:

You can apply as either:

• the wife, husband, civil or unmarried partner, child, grandchild, parent or grandparent of the person you’ll be joining in the UK
  a dependent extended family member - eg unmarried partner, brother, sister or cousin

OK? It says that only extended family members must be dependent.

Now my parents got a refusal saying:

You have applied for an EEA permit to join your daughter, an Estonian national, in the UK. In order to qualify as a family member you are required to be dependent on the EEA national but I am not satisfied that you are dependent as claimed. I am therefore not satisfied that you are a family member in accordance with Regulation 7 of the Immigration (European Econmic Area) Regulations 2006.

Now we never said parents were dependent!

So we're going to appeal. But surely other EEA members wanted their non-EEA family to visit? How did you do it?

[Wanderer]

That's for PR for dependent family members, for a visit you should have applied for;

https://www.gov.uk/family-visit-visa

Udachi vam!

[rsuk]

Thank you for getting back to me.

I wonder why the UK government can outright lie on their web pages only to take money from applications then refuse them.

It is utterly disgusting and appalling. I put so much time and effort into preparing all the papers and documents. My parents went to get fingerprinted.

So what the hell!?

And why should my parents be treated so appallingly? They are EU permanent residents because the dearly beloved Estonian government only gave citizenship to descendent of ethnic Estonians. How is an EU country allowed to be so dearly beloved and utterly devoid of adherence to Human Rights?

So I've got to shell out facing £300 EACH for a "family visitor" visa after burning £160 because the UK government are a bunch of dishonest c@#$s?

[Wanderer]

EEA visas are free (might be a bit of a fee now) and the visit visit is £83 isn't it? You've made the error, you'r mistake I'm afraid.

I agree too - Estonia (and other Baltic States) have been terrible to ethnic Russians but Human Rights is a bit strong, nobody is suffering here.

[obormot]

You can use FP for residence, or just for a short visit (s)
You do not have to show dependency if you apply for FP for young children or spouse (or unmarried partner) of a EEA national. However, for parents or adult children you are required to prove dependency in order to get FP.
In the same document you cite it says (just scroll down a bit):
"dependent (!!!) parent or grandparent"
UK immigration office is horrible in many ways, but no, they do not lie on the web page, it is just that you do not bother to read it in full.

So it will do you no good to appeal. You could either apply for family visitor visa or reapply for FP including poof of dependency. For example, if you regularly sent them money (substantial amount, so that it mainly covers their everyday basic needs) over some period of time, that most probably would be enough. One could instead prove that one's parents are members of her "household" - but that clearly does not apply to you, as you live in UK while your parents live in Estonia.
I got FP and then EEA2 residence for my Russian mother - but, before as all moving to UK together, she lived with me in a 3-rd country as a member of my household and did not have any own source of income - so my case was easy.
You could check this forum:
http://www.rutalk.co.uk/forum.php?
There might be people there in the same situation (citizens of Baltic countries who are in UK and want to bring Russian parents), who could tell you more about how specifically consulate in Estonia works..

[a.s.b.o]

You can use FP for residence, or just for a short visit (s)
You do not have to show dependency if you apply for FP for young children or spouse (or unmarried partner) of a EEA national. However, for parents or adult children you are required to prove dependency in order to get FP.
In the same document you cite it says (just scroll down a bit):
"dependent (!!!) parent or grandparent"
UK immigration office is horrible in many ways, but no, they do not lie on the web page, it is just that you do not bother to read it in full.

So it will do you no good to appeal. You could either apply for family visitor visa or reapply for FP including poof of dependency. For example, if you regularly sent them money (substantial amount, so that it mainly covers their everyday basic needs) over some period of time, that most probably would be enough. One could instead prove that one's parents are members of her "household" - but that clearly does not apply to you, as you live in UK while your parents live in Estonia.
I got FP and then EEA2 residence for my Russian mother - but, before as all moving to UK together, she lived with me in a 3-rd country as a member of my household and did not have any own source of income - so my case was easy.
You could check this forum:
http://www.rutalk.co.uk/forum.php?
There might be people there in the same situation (citizens of Baltic countries who are in UK and want to bring Russian parents), who could tell you more about how specifically consulate in Estonia works..

specificity is that the only chance to get your dependent parents in is to go through Appeal. Whether specific to Russian nationals in question, or the overall reflection of the euro-sceptism, I did not find a single case where EEA FP was issued outright to Russian nationals during the search over the last year. facts talk contrary to objective view of bureaucrats in FCO/UKBA.

[obormot]

Kind of obvious after dealing with the system that they are not objective.
On the other hand, topic-starter clearly did not supply dependency documents at all - is appeal a good way in the case one did not submit required documents in original application? (I never had to appeal, so I do not feel confident there)
Note though for your reference that my dependent Russian mother got her FP in May 2013 "outright", i.e. from the first attempt, in 2 weeks, without any problem. And then EEA2 in January 2014 (5 months after application), no problems either.
BUT: she got her FP applying in USA, where we both lived together at that time (and she had green card) - I was relocating to UK for new job and was taking her with me (I hold French citizenship)