EEA Family permit (elderly parents)

[userabc]

Dear all
On this fantastic information sharing plateform, I would like some expert advice about my parents situation which is worrying me.
I am from Pakistan. I have Irish nationality via naturalisation. I am currently working as a doctor in NHS. My wife and kids have similar nationality.
My parents who are Pakistan national, want to visit me. They are both 72 plus in age. They live alone in Pakistan and there is no one to look after them.
They are self supportive pensioners. My father is currently full time employed in Pakistan to keep himself busy.
As they are elderly, I am worried about their age and health status, although they dont have any major medical problems.
My question is that if I want to sponsor them via EEA Family permit to come and visit me, would it be appropriate? or should they apply a normal visit visa with multiple entry.
As they live alone, at some stage, I want them to come and stay with me indefinitely. My father plans to stop working in near future completely.
What would be the appropriate way forward for them to move here and live with me permanently?
Should we apply via immigration lawyer once he stops working OR should I support him financially before applying through EEA family permit after he stops working.
Thank you again for your kind advice.

[Wanderer]

Have you considered moving back to Pakistan to be with them at all?

There are other alternatives you know...

[obormot]

Have you considered moving back to Pakistan to be with them at all?
There are other alternatives you know...

?
Is this a "Paki, go home" response? Do you think it is useful fo the person who asks? Or do you think he is too stupid to be able to think about "other alternatives"? Or?

To topicstarter: for FP (no matter to stay or to visit) you will have to prove dependency - that your parents rely on your financial help in order to satisfy their basic everyday needs for food/shelter, etc., and this dependency has to exist prior to your parents coming to UK.
So if you want them to just come to visit now, you will have to go for visa.
And if you want to bring them later, you should start planing so that you have documents which will prove dependency later. If your father stops working but has significant pension, savings, etc. and your parents will mainly rely on those and not your sent money, proving dependency might be difficult.
In my experience, lawyers are of no help if you are literate enough to understand and follow through regulations - they take money, but they do not have much of insider information, and they care about your case much less then you do. They just add additional intermediary and you will be less in control of your own case. You can consult one, but do not let them actually do your paperwork and communications with immigration.

[a.s.b.o]

There are two sides to the second comment in this thread - one is indeed picked up by Obormot above. The other - and provided the OP can justify why moving to Pakistan is not a viable issue - may partially answer the question as to how to bring parents over to UK. The problem with this - as I see it - is that parents are financially self-sufficient, which makes the task impossible at this moment of time. This may though change and they may become financially dependent. Then, it is a different story

[Casa]

To be fair, I believe Wanderer is only playing 'devil's advocate' as this is exactly what the Entry Clearance Officer is likely to suggest unless an extremely strong case can be put forward.

[Wanderer]

To be fair, Wanderer I believe Wanderer is only playing 'devil's advocate' as this is exactly what the Entry Clearance Officer is likely to suggest unless an extremely strong case can be put forward.

Indeed I am, and as well it is indeed a valid option, just I don't see the need to sugar-coat my response, the ECO's certainly won't....