Then you have another student-visa holder from the very same party who has no problem putting up for a seat. The contrast is what makes this story.
Viswanathan, who is president of NUS Scotland, had been vying for a spot in the North East of Scotland. She was put down as third on the Scottish Greens list after they did their internal picking last year. But in a July 2025 call, a party official told her to stand down. They pointed to some legal advice on whether she could really see out a full term as an MSP if her immigration papers were to be called into question.
Key developments cited by the two sides are as follows:
– Withdrawal request made in July 2025
– Viswanathan ranked third on the party list
– Another student-visa candidate elected
– Greens now hold 15 MSPs
Law change and the risk that remains
The law in Scotland was reworked in 2024 so you don’t need permanent residency to put your name forward for Holyrood. There’s a proviso, though: if an MSP can no longer stay in the UK while in office, they’re out. For someone on a student visa, it’s a bit of a moving target. You can make a run for it, but a change in status partway through can put an end to it.
Different outcomes for student-visa candidates
Viswanathan sees a double standard when you look at Q Manivannan, another one of the Greens’. He’s on a student visa too and he was elected in Edinburgh and Lothians East. “There has been a discrepancy in how different candidates have been advised by the party,” she put it. Migrants, she says, ought to be given the chance to be part of the process.
It wasn’t easy for her. “Having to withdraw took a significant toll on my health and well-being,” she said, even as she was happy for the other Greens to get in.
What the party says
The Scottish Greens will have none of it. A spokesperson for the party was clear: “We can confirm that nobody has been blocked from standing for the Scottish Greens because of their visa status.” They are in fact backing Manivannan in his move for a graduate visa. As for the rest, they say it’s up to the candidate to make sure they are in order with the law.
Why this dispute matters now
You could say this is a turning point for what representation at Holyrood looks like. Yes, the 2024 changes have made it more open, but the threat of being unseated mid-term means there is still a grey area to wade through.
Parties have to be careful. If they are seen to be giving out mixed messages, it can put off good candidates and you start to have questions about due process. And for the voter, it’s about stability; you don’t want an MSP having to be shown the door in the middle of a term.
What comes next
So we have two sides to it. Viswanathan is of the view she was put under pressure. The party says the onus is on the individual and they’ve put no one in the way. With 15 MSPs now in the Parliament – their best showing yet – the Greens will be watched to see if they can make these new reforms work in a way that is fair and above board.
