to the forum, Charlotte.
What you've told us makes perfect sense ... and logically, you'd THINK, all things considered, that it's surely not asking too much for the British Embassy to allow your boyfriend to come to the UK for a holiday - especially when, as you point out, he will be financing the whole thing himself, and you will be providing adequate accommodation for him while he's here. However, even taking such factors into account, there are two "sticklers" (that I know of) likely to concern an Entry Clearance Official:
1. Your boyfriend isn't working at present ... so, from what source is the money to support his trip coming from?
2. Because he doesn't have a job to return to ... how can he guarantee he will return home afterwards?
These, then, are the stumbling blocks. But, as the cost of a Visitor Visa is [only] around £70, it might well be worth trying for, as it's not a huge sum to lose if it WERE unsuccessful ... unlike the Fiance and/or Spousal Visas, which cost nearly ten times that amount.
And yes, although it's fair to say that only a minority of tourist applications in general are approved, I DO know of one forum member pseudonymn, 'Queenbee' - who was fortunate enough to have been recently granted her second ...... 'multiple entry visa' (I think!) since she joined us last year.
Another thought that crosses my mind is the possibility of your boyfriend applying for a 'Family Visit Visa' to see his close relatives in Southampton ... although I'm not too clear about how one goes about this. Hopefully, though, someone here will be able to guide you. Good Luck!
