I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 690
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide a mechanism
for United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor
their permanent partners for residence in the United States, and for
other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 14, 2001
Mr. NADLER (for himself, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. ACKERMAN, Ms. BALDWIN,
Mr. BECERRA, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. CAPUANO, Mr.
CROWLEY, Mr. DAVIS of Illiniois, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr.
FARR of California, Mr. FILNER, Mr. FRANK, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr.
HOLT, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mrs. LOWEY,
Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut, Ms. MCCOL-
LUM, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. MEEHAN, Ms. NORTON, Mr.
OWENS, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. RIVERS, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. SANDERS,
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. TOWNS, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr.
WEINER, Mr. WEXLER, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania, Ms.
LEE, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. STARK) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Judiciary
A BILL
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide
a mechanism for United States citizens and lawful per-
manent residents to sponsor their permanent partners
for residence in the United States, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; AMENDMENTS TO IMMIGRATION
AND NATIONALITY ACT.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Permanent Partners Immigration Act of 2001’’.
(b) AMENDMENTS TO IMMIGRATION AND NATION-
ALITY ACT.—Except as otherwise specifically provided
whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed
as the amendment or repeal of a section or other provision,
the reference shall be considered to be made to that sec-
tion or provision in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 101(a) (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (15)(K)(ii), by inserting ‘‘per-
manent partnership’’ after ‘‘marriage’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(51) The term ‘permanent partner’ means an
individual 18 years of age or older who—
‘‘(A) is in a committed, intimate relation-
ship with another individual 18 years of age or
older in which both parties intend a lifelong
commitment;
‘‘(B) is financially interdependent with
that other individual;
‘‘(C) is not married to or in a permanent
partnership with anyone other than that other
individual;
‘‘(D) is unable to contract with that other
individual a marriage cognizable under this Act;
and
‘‘(E) is not a first, second, or third degree
blood relation of that other individual.
‘‘(52) The term ‘permanent partnership’ means
the relationship that exists between two permanent
partners.’’.
SEC. 3. WORLDWIDE LEVEL OF IMMIGRATION.
Section 201(b)(2)(A)(i) (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)(i))
is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘permanent partners,’’ after
‘‘spouses,’’;
(2) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after
‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears; and
(3) by striking ‘‘remarries.’’ and inserting ‘‘re-
marries or enters a permanent partnership with an-
other person.’’.
SEC. 4. NUMERICAL LIMITATIONS ON INDIVIDUAL FOR-
EIGN STATES.
(a) PER COUNTRY LEVELS.—Section 202(a)(4) (8
U.S.C. 1152(a)(4)) is amended—
(1) in the paragraph heading for paragraph (4),
by inserting ‘‘, 
PERMANENT
PARTNERS,’’ after
‘‘SPOUSES’’;
(2) in the subparagraph heading for subpara-
graph (A), by inserting ‘‘, PERMANENT PARTNERS,’’
after ‘‘SPOUSES’’; and
(3) in the subparagraph heading for subpara-
graph (C), by inserting ‘‘WITHOUT
PERMANENT
PARTNERS’’ after ‘‘DAUGHTERS’’.
(b) RULES FOR CHARGEABILITY.—Section 202(b)(2)
(8 U.S.C. 1152(b)(2)) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after
‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears; and
(2) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partners’’ after
‘‘husband and wife’’.
SEC. 5. ALLOCATION OF IMMIGRANT VISAS.
(a) PREFERENCE ALLOCATION FOR FAMILY MEM-
BERS
OF
PERMANENT
RESIDENT
ALIENS.—Section
203(a)(2) (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)(2)) is amended—
(1) in the paragraph heading—
(A) by striking ‘‘and’’ after ‘‘SPOUSES’’
and inserting ‘‘, PERMANENT PARTNERS,’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘WITHOUT
PERMANENT
PARTNERS’’ after ‘‘SONS’’ and after ‘‘DAUGH-
TERS’’; and
(2) in subparagraph (A)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘, permanent partners,’’
after ‘‘spouses’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘without permanent part-
ners’’ after ‘‘sons’’ and after ‘‘daughters’’.
(b) PREFERENCE
ALLOCATION
FOR
SONS
AND
DAUGHTERS OF CITIZENS.—Section 203(a)(3) (8 U.S.C.
1153(a)(3)) is amended—
(1) in the paragraph heading, by inserting
‘‘AND
DAUGHTERS
AND
SONS
WITH
PERMANENT
PARTNERS’’ after ‘‘DAUGHTERS’’; and
(2) by inserting ‘‘or daughters or sons with per-
manent partners’’ after ‘‘daughters’’.
(c) 
EMPLOYMENT
CREATION.—Section
203(b)(5)(A)(iii) (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)(5)(A)(iii)) is amended
by inserting ‘‘permanent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse,’’.
(d) TREATMENT
OF FAMILY MEMBERS.—Section
203(d) (8 U.S.C. 1153(d)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, per-
manent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term ap-
pears.
SEC. 6. PROCEDURE FOR GRANTING IMMIGRANT STATUS.
(a) CLASSIFICATION PETITIONS.—Section 204(a)(1)
(8 U.S.C. 1154(a)(1)) is amended—
(1) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by inserting ‘‘or
permanent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’;
(2) in subparagraph (A)(iii)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears;
and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner-
ship’’ after ‘‘marriage’’ each place such term
appears in subclause (I); and
(3) in subparagraph (B)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears;
and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner-
ship’’ after ‘‘marriage’’ each place such term
appears.
(b) IMMIGRATION
FRAUD
PREVENTION.—Section
204(c) (8 U.S.C. 1154(c)) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after
‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears; and
(2) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partnership’’
after ‘‘marriage’’ each place such term appears.
SEC. 7. ANNUAL ADMISSION OF REFUGEES AND ADMISSION
OF EMERGENCY SITUATION REFUGEES.
Section 207(c) (8 U.S.C. 1157(c)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (2)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears;
and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’s’’
after ‘‘spouse’s’’; and
(2) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘or perma-
nent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’.
SEC. 8. ASYLUM.
Section 
208(b)(3) 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1158(b)(3)) 
is
amended—
(1) in the heading, by inserting ‘‘OR PERMA-
NENT PARTNER’’ after ‘‘SPOUSE’’; and
(2) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after
‘‘spouse’’.
SEC. 9. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS OF REFUGEES.
Section 209(b)(3) (8 U.S.C. 1159(b)(3)) is amended
by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’.
SEC. 10. INADMISSIBLE ALIENS.
(a) CLASSES OF ALIENS INELIGIBLE FOR VISAS OR
ADMISSION.—Section 212(a) (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)) is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (3)(D)(iv), by inserting ‘‘per-
manent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse,’’;
(2) in paragraph (4)(C)(i)(I), by inserting ‘‘,
permanent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse’’;
(3) in paragraph (6)(E)(ii), by inserting ‘‘per-
manent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse,’’; and
(4) in paragraph (9)(B)(v), by inserting ‘‘, per-
manent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse’’.
(b) WAIVERS.—Section 212(d) (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)) is
amended—
(1) in paragraph (11), by inserting ‘‘permanent
partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse,’’; and
(2) in paragraph (12)(B), by inserting ‘‘, per-
manent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse’’.
(c) WAIVERS OF INADMISSIBILITY ON HEALTH-RE-
LATED
GROUNDS.—Section 212(g)(1)(A) (8 U.S.C.
1182(g)(1)(A)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or permanent
partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’.
(d) WAIVERS OF INADMISSIBILITY ON CRIMINAL AND
RELATED GROUNDS.—Section 212(h)(1)(B) (8 U.S.C.
1182(h)(1)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘‘permanent part-
ner,’’ after ‘‘spouse,’’.
(e) WAIVER OF INADMISSIBILITY FOR MISREPRESEN-
TATION.—Section 212(i)(1) (8 U.S.C. 1182(i)(1)) is
amended by inserting ‘‘permanent partner,’’ after
‘‘spouse,’’.
SEC. 11. NONIMMIGRANT STATUS FOR PERMANENT PART-
NERS AWAITING THE AVAILABILITY OF AN
IMMIGRANT VISA.
Section 214 (8 U.S.C. 1184) is amended—
(1) by redesignating the subsections (o) and (p)
added by sections 1102(b) and 1103(b), respectively,
of the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and
State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appro-
priations Act, 2001, as enacted into law by section
1(a)(2) of P.L. 106–553, as subsections (p) and (q),
resepectively; and
(2) in subsection (q) (as so redesignated)—
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or per-
manent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner-
ship’’ after ‘‘marriage’’ each place such term
appears.
SEC. 12. CONDITIONAL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS
FOR CERTAIN ALIEN SPOUSES, PERMANENT
PARTNERS, AND SONS AND DAUGHTERS.
(a) SECTION HEADING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The section heading for sec-
tion 216 (8 U.S.C. 1186a) is amended by inserting
‘‘AND PERMANENT PARTNERS’’ after ‘‘SPOUSES’’.
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents is amended by amending the item relating to
section 216 to read as follows:
‘‘Sec. 216. Conditional permanent resident status for certain alien spouses and
permanent partners and sons and daughters.’’.
(b) IN
GENERAL.—Section 216(a) (8 U.S.C.
1186a(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or perma-
nent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’;
(2) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ‘‘or per-
manent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’;
(3) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ‘‘perma-
nent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse,’’; and
(4) in paragraph (2)(C), by inserting ‘‘perma-
nent partner,’’ after ‘‘spouse,’’.
(c) TERMINATION
OF STATUS
IF FINDING
THAT
QUALIFYING MARRIAGE IMPROPER.—Section 216(b) of
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1186a(b)) is amended—
(1) in the heading, by inserting ‘‘OR PERMA-
NENT PARTNERSHIP’’ after ‘‘MARRIAGE’’;
(2) in paragraph (1)(A), by inserting ‘‘or per-
manent partnership’’ after ‘‘marriage’’; and
(3) in paragraph (1)(A)(ii)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or has ceased to satisfy
the criteria for being considered a permanent
partnership under this Act,’’ after ‘‘termi-
nated,’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’.
(d) REQUIREMENTS
OF
TIMELY
PETITION
AND
INTERVIEW
FOR
REMOVAL
OF
CONDITION.—Section
216(c) (8 U.S.C. 1186a(c)) is amended—
(1) in paragraphs (1), (2)(A)(ii), (3)(A)(ii),
(3)(C), (4)(B), and (4)(C), by inserting ‘‘or perma-
nent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term
appears; and
(2) in paragraph (3)(A), in the matter following
clause (ii), and in paragraph (3)(D), (4)(B), and
(4)(C), by inserting ‘‘or permanent partnership’’
after ‘‘marriage’’ each place such term appears.
(e) CONTENTS OF PETITION.—Section 216(d)(1) of
such Act (8 U.S.C. 1186a(d)(1)) is amended—
(1) in the subparagraph heading for subpara-
graph (A), by inserting ‘‘OR PERMANENT PARTNER-
SHIP’’ after ‘‘MARRIAGE’’;
(2) in subparagraph (A)(i), by inserting ‘‘or
permanent partnership’’ after ‘‘marriage’’;
(3) in subparagraph (A)(i)(I), by inserting be-
fore the comma at the end ‘‘, or is a permanent
partnership recognized under this Act’’;
(4) in subparagraph (A)(i)(II)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or has not ceased to sat-
isfy the criteria for being considered a perma-
nent partnership under this Act,’’ after ‘‘termi-
nated,’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’;
(5) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by inserting ‘‘or
permanent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’; and
(6) in subparagraph (B)(i)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner-
ship’’ after ‘‘marriage’’; and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’.
(e) 
DEFINITIONS.—Section 
216(g) 
(8 
U.S.C.
1186a(g)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears;
and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner-
ship’’ after ‘‘marriage’’ each place such term
appears;
(2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘or perma-
nent partnership’’ after ‘‘marriage’’;
(3) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘or perma-
nent partnership’’ after ‘‘marriage’’; and
(4) in paragraph (4)—
(A) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’
after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears;
and
(B) by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner-
ship’’ after ‘‘marriage’’.
SEC. 13. CONDITIONAL PERMANENT RESIDENT STATUS
FOR 
CERTAIN 
ALIEN 
ENTREPRENEURS,
SPOUSES, PERMANENT PARTNERS, AND CHIL-
DREN.
(a) SECTION HEADING.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The section heading for sec-
tion 216A (8 U.S.C. 1186b) is amended by inserting
‘‘OR PERMANENT PARTNERS’’ after ‘‘SPOUSES’’.
(2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents is amended by amending the item relating to
section 216A to read as follows:
‘‘Sec. 216. Conditional permanent resident status for certain alien entre-
preneurs, spouses or permanent partners, and children.’’.
(b) IN
GENERAL.—Section 216A(a) (8 U.S.C.
1186b(a)) is amended, in paragraphs (1), (2)(A), (2)(B),
and (2)(C), by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after
‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears.
(c) TERMINATION
OF STATUS
IF FINDING THAT
QUALIFYING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IMPROPER.—Section
216A(b)(1) (8 U.S.C. 1186b(b)(1)) is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’ in the matter
following subparagraph (C).
(d) REQUIREMENTS
OF
TIMELY
PETITION
AND
INTERVIEW
FOR
REMOVAL
OF
CONDITION.—Section
216A(c) (8 U.S.C. 1186b(c)) is amended, in paragraphs
(1), (2)(A)(ii), and (3)(C), by inserting ‘‘or permanent
partner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’.
(e) DEFINITIONS.—Section 216A(f)(2) (8 U.S.C.
1186b(f)(2)) is amended by inserting ‘‘or permanent part-
ner’’ after ‘‘spouse’’ each place such term appears.
SEC. 14. DEPORTABLE ALIENS.
Section 237(a) of the Immigration and Nationality
Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)) is amended—
(1) in paragraph (1)(D)(i), by inserting ‘‘or
permanent partners’’ after ‘‘spouses’’ each place
such term appears;
(2) in paragraphs (1)(E)(ii), (1)(E)(iii), and
(1)(H)(i), by inserting ‘‘or permanent partner’’ after
‘‘spouse’’;
(3) by adding at the end of paragraph (1) the
following new subparagraph:
‘‘(I) PERMANENT PARTNERSHIP FRAUD.—
An alien shall be considered to be deportable as
having procured a visa or other documentation
by fraud (within the meaning of section
212(a)(6)(C)(i)) and to be in the United States
in violation of this Act (within the meaning of
subparagraph (B)) if—
‘‘(i) the alien obtains any admission to
the United States with an immigrant visa
or other documentation procured on the
basis of a permanent partnership entered
into less than 2 years prior to such admis-
sion and which, within 2 years subsequent
to such admission, is terminated because
the criteria for permanent partnership are
no longer fulfilled, unless the alien estab-
lishes to the satisfaction of the Attorney
General that such permanent partnership
was not contracted for the purpose of
evading any provisions of the immigration
laws; or
‘‘(ii) it appears to the satisfaction of
the Attorney General that the alien has
failed or refused to fulfill the alien’s per-
manent partnership which in the opinion of