Scottish Greens confident that MSP will be able to renew visa

One of the new Scottish Green MSPs will have to renew their visa while sitting at Holyrood.

Q Manivannan, who is originally from India, is in the UK on a student visa and is entitled to stand as an MSP due to recent changes to eligibility rules.

The co-leader of the Scottish Greens, Gillian Mackay, told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show that a new visa application was a process that Manivannan would have to complete over the session of parliament.

Mackay said she did not think that obtaining a visa would be a problem and that the party would be supporting them in any way possible.

The BBC understands that the Scottish Greens are confident that the MSP salary Manivannan will be entitled to - just below £80,000 - will make obtaining a new visa more straightforward.

Manivannan uses they/them pronouns and describes themselves as a "queer Tamil immigrant".

They were elected on Friday as a list MSP for Edinburgh and Lothians East and are one of two trans MSPs elected to the Scottish Parliament. They both represent the Scottish Greens.

If a list candidate stands down or leaves Holyrood, the next candidate on the list takes their seat - it does not trigger a by-election.