Tourist Visa for family members

[AniM]

Hi,

I am an Albanian citizen, currently leaving and working in UK on a two year work permit. I want to invite my parents to come and visit me during my stay, but I am really worried if they will be able to get a visa. I have to say that it is not easy for an Albanian citizen to get a British visa.

I want my parents to apply at the same time and come together, but I don't know if this may be a reason for rejection from the embassy. Considering that I am their only child and there will be no proof for the embassy that they intend to get back since they don't have any close related person left behind.

I won't to add to this that my parents have retired, however they still working as a teacher full time (my mother) and a doctor part time (my father) for respectively a private school and private hospital. How would this effect their application? What documents would they need to provide?

My parents have already been in UK once while I was still a student (under student visa). I wrote invitation letters to each of them. Back then my mother applied first and she got the visa in the same day. She came to UK and when she went back home my father applied for a visa as well, but took him one month to have his visa approved. However he got the visa and he has been to UK once as well. I always thought that the reason it took him so long was that they probably had to check for the status of my mother at which point of time she was back in Albania.

However this time they want to apply together for visa and come together to visit me. Has anyone been in similar situation? What would you suggest me to do in order to apply for a tourist visa for my parents? What documents should I provide? I can send a letter of invitation, book them a hotel, show their bank statements and the documents that they own two apartments as well back home, but I don't know if this is enough as a guaranty that my parents do not intend to stay illegally in the UK.

Thank you in advance. I am really looking forward to hear your advices or experiences.

Regards
Ani

[vinny]

I won't to add to this that my parents have retired, however they still working as a teacher full time (my mother) and a doctor part time (my father) for respectively a private school and private hospital. How would this effect their application? What documents would they need to provide?

If they are still working, then they haven't retired.

See also What documents do I need to enter the United Kingdom as a general visitor? and Sponsoring Parents.

[AniM]

Thank you for your reply. Just to clarify - My parents are age 61(my mom) and 67(my father) they are register as pensioners with the government and they do get pensions, however they still work in private sector without paying taxes any longer. This is the situation. If somebody could tell me how this would effect their application I would be grateful.

Also can my parents apply at the same time, or is best not as they would be able to show strong ties back home?

Last thing - Should I sponsor them or they should apply on their own?

Thank you
Ani

[UKBAbble]

I would have thought that as applicants with a good immigration history, provided that have not made any unsuccessful applications in the interim, they stand a very good chance of getting visit visas, seprarately or together.