Applying for visit visa whilst on visit visa in a different country

[gre.bm691]

Hi all
My parents (Indian passport holders) have been stranded in Saudi Arabia since the pandemic for the last 1.5 years due to pandemic. As the flights now resume, I am not keen for them to go back to India yet as 3rd wave seems inevitable. Hence I would like to get them to spend a few months here in UK with me.

The question is- are they allowed to apply for UK standard visit visa from Saudi Arabia whilst they are on a tourist visa out there.
We spoke to the Saudi VFS and they say that they only accept applications from Saudi citizens or from expats who are on a residential visa. The UK gov website, however, says you can apply from any country but doesn't give any more specifics.

Any help will be appreciated!

[secret.simon]

The general rule is that you can apply for a visit visa only from the country/ies that you have the right to reside in (i.e. one that you are a citizen of or one that you have a residence visa of). You can't apply for a UK visit visa while in another country on a visit/non-residence visa.

The advice given to you by the Saudi VFS is correct.

[vinny]

If they are legally in the country, then I believe it’s possible for them to apply for a UK visitor visa from there.

However, after 1.5 years on a tourist visa, are they still legally in the country?

[gre.bm691]

Thanks for the inputs.
Yes, they are. Due to covid, the govt. Had allowed all tourists to extend their visas whilst remaining in the country.