Applying for EEA family permit

hi there

my partner is trying to fill in the EEA family permit application for his parents from inside the UK but the Visa4UK site says: 'Your registration has been unsuccessful, please see the guidance at https://ukvi-international.faq-help.com' every time.

could it be the case that the website is now smart enough to block anyone trying to register for an account inside the UK as this type of permit should only be applied for by someone outside the UK?

another friend of mine applied for her partner to come here from the Philippines a few months ago and that worked perfectly.

any ideas?