Your link explains a bit more ..
As they've travelled the world they must have applied for many visas and knew about the different typesAlthough they married in Bristol in 1995, lived here for over a year and travelled all over the world, the couple faced problems when Mae wanted to return to UK after visiting her family in the Philippines in 2011.
As she wanted to be able to regularly return to the country to see her father she claims that the UK Border Agency in Manilla advised her to apply for a visitor visa.
A series of problems which delayed the visa followed – including two applications rejected because authorities did not think she would return to the Philippines and Mrs Draper catching dengue fever.
Maybe UKBA did tell her that, but did she explain that her husband and daughter lived in the UK and she wanted to live there permanently? Because if she did, they wouldn't be telling her to apply for a visit visa.
2 refused visit visas should have rang some alarm bells
2yrs? Where do they get that number from? At the most, 6 months - if that
Her visa ran out over 1yr ago. Time they went by the rules, and I'm sure they know the difference btw a visit visa and a settlement visa