(1) SPECIAL RULE.—Paragraph (1) of section 
6(e) of the Joint Resolution entitled ‘‘A Joint Reso-
lution to approve the ‘Covenant To Establish a Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Po-
litical Union with the United States of America’, 
and for other purposes’’, approved March 24, 1976 
(48 U.S.C. 1806(e)), as added by section 702 of the 
Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (Public 
Law 110–229; 122 Stat. 854)), is amended— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘sub-
paragraph (B),’’ and adding ‘‘subparagraphs 
(B) and (C),’’; 
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
subparagraph (D); and 
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
the following: 
‘‘(B) SPECIAL RULE.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as pro-
vided in subparagraph (D), no alien who is 
described in clause (ii) may be removed 
from the United States on the grounds 
that such alien’s presence in the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is 
in violation of section 212(a)(6)(A) of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
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1182(a)(6)(A)), prior to the date that is 5 
years after the transition program effective 
date. 
‘‘(ii) ALIEN
DESCRIBED.—An alien 
described in this clause is an alien who— 
‘‘(I) on May 8, 2008, was a resi-
dent of the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands and was— 
‘‘(aa) a permanent resident 
(as that term is defined in part 
5–40.0–201 
of 
the 
Northern 
Mariana Islands Administrative 
Code); 
‘‘(bb) an immediate relative 
of a citizen (as those terms are 
defined in such part 5–40.0– 
201); or 
‘‘(cc) the parent of a citizen 
(as that term is defined in such 
part 5–40.0–201) who was under 
21 years of age; and 
‘‘(II) on the transition program 
effective date, was lawfully present in 
the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands or only temporarily 
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absent from the Commonwealth pur-
suant to the immigration laws of the 
Commonwealth. 
‘‘(C) SPECIAL
NONIMMIGRANT
VISA
FOR 
PARENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—An alien parent 
described in subparagraph (B)(ii)(cc) is eli-
gible for a special nonimmigrant visa 
issued pursuant to this subparagraph. 
Such visa shall— 
‘‘(I) grant the alien all of the 
privileges granted to an alien lawfully 
admitted for permanent residence, ex-
cept that the alien shall reside in the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mar-
iana Islands; and 
‘‘(II) be valid until the earlier 
of— 
‘‘(aa) the date that the child 
of the alien petitions for an ad-
justment of status for the alien 
to that of an alien lawfully ad-
mitted for permanent residence 
(as that term is defined in sec-
tion 101(a)(20) of the Immigra-
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tion and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1101(a)(20))); 
‘‘(bb) the date that the alien 
ceases to reside in the Common-
wealth; or 
‘‘(cc) November 28, 2014. 
‘‘(ii) PETITIONS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF 
STATUS.—A child of an alien parent de-
scribed in subparagraph (B)(ii)(cc) may 
petition for an adjustment of status for the 
alien 
parent 
as 
described 
in 
clause 
(i)(II)(aa) during the period beginning on 
January 1, 2014, and ending on November 
28, 2014, regardless of the age of the 
child.’’. 
(2) CONSTRUCTION.—Such paragraph (1), as 
amended by paragraph (1) of this subsection, is fur-
ther amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(E) 
CONSTRUCTION.—This 
paragraph 
shall be construed to permit an alien who may 
not be removed 212(a)(6)(A) of the Immigra-
tion 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1182(a)(6)(A)) under subparagraph (A) or (B) 
of this paragraph to leave the Commonwealth of 
the Northern Mariana Islands for a temporary 
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absence and return to the Commonwealth pur-
suant to the entrance permit issued to the alien 
by the Commonwealth.’’. 
(3) 
EMPLOYMENT
AUTHORIZATION.—Para-
graph (2) of such section 6(e), is amended— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and 
moving such clauses two ems to the right; 
(B) by striking ‘‘An alien’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), an alien’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) SPECIAL RULE.—An alien who is de-
scribed in paragraph (1)(B)(ii) shall be consid-
ered authorized by the Secretary of Homeland 
Security to be employed in the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands until the date 
that is 5 years after the transition program ef-
fective date.’’. 
(4) REGISTRATION.—Paragraph 3 of such sec-
tion 6(e) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(3) REGISTRATION.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENT FOR REGISTRATION.— 
Beginning not later than November 28, 2009, 
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and on an on-going basis, the Secretary of 
Homeland Security shall require any alien 
present in the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands on or after the transition pe-
riod effective date to register with the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(B) SCHEDULE FOR INITIAL REGISTRA-
TION.—The Secretary shall complete the initial 
registration of all aliens required to register 
under subparagraph (A) not later than Feb-
ruary 1, 2010. 
‘‘(C) INAPPLICABILITY
OF
PROHIBITION 
ON
REMOVAL
AND
EMPLOYMENT
AUTHORIZA-
TION.—Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply 
to any alien who fails to register as required by 
this paragraph. 
‘‘(D) 
COOPERATION.—Notwithstanding 
any other provision of law, the Government of 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Is-
lands shall provide to the Secretary all Com-
monwealth immigration records or other infor-
mation that the Secretary deems necessary to 
assist in the implementation of this paragraph 
or other provisions of the Consolidated Natural 
Resources Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–229; 
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122 Stat. 854) or any amendment made by that 
Act. 
‘‘(E) CONSTRUCTION
WITH
THE
INA.— 
Nothing in this paragraph may be construed to 
modify or limit the application of section 262 of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1302) or any other provision of the Immigra-
tion and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101 et 
seq.) relating to the registration of aliens.’’. 
SEC. 2. ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS FOR PERMANENT RESI-
DENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. 
Section 6 of the Joint Resolution entitled ‘‘A Joint 
Resolution to approve the ‘Covenant To Establish a Com-
monwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands in Political 
Union with the United States of America’, and for other 
purposes’’, approved March 24, 1976 (48 U.S.C. 1806(e)), 
as added by section 702 of the Consolidated Natural Re-
sources Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–229; 122 Stat. 
854)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (f), (g), and 
(h), as subsections (g), (h), and (i), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(f) ADJUSTMENT
OF STATUS
FOR PERMANENT 
RESIDENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH.— 
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‘‘(1) SPECIAL NONIMMIGRANT VISA.—An alien 
who was, on May 8, 2008, described in part 5–40.1– 
200 of the Administrative Code of the Northern 
Mariana Islands (as in effect on such date) is eligi-
ble for a special nonimmigrant visa issued pursuant 
to this paragraph. Such visa shall— 
‘‘(A) grant the alien all of the privileges 
granted to an alien lawfully admitted for per-
manent residence, except that the alien shall re-
side in the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands; and 
‘‘(B) be valid until the earlier of— 
‘‘(i) the date on which the alien ad-
justs status under paragraph (2); or 
‘‘(ii) the date on which the alien 
ceases to reside in the Commonwealth. 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS.—An alien is eli-
gible for an adjustment of status to that of an alien 
lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as that 
term is defined in section 101(a)(20) of the Immi-
gration 
and 
Nationality 
Act 
(8 
U.S.C. 
1101(a)(20))), pursuant to this paragraph, if the 
alien— 
‘‘(A) was, on May 8, 2008, described in 
part 5–40.1–200 of the Administrative Code of 
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the Northern Mariana Islands (as in effect on 
such date); and 
‘‘(B) applies for such status during the pe-
riod beginning on January 1, 2014, and ending 
on November 28, 2014.’’. 
SEC. 3. NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS VISITOR ENTRY 
PROGRAM TRANSITION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 705(b) 
of the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (48 
U.S.C. 1806(b)), the amendments made by section 702(b) 
of such Act shall take effect on the date that is 180 days 
after the transition program effective date described in 
section 6(a) of Public Law 94–241 (48 U.S.C. 1806(a)) 
(as added by section 702(a) of the Consolidated Natural 
Resources Act of 2008). In a case in which the transition 
program effective date has been modified under paragraph 
(3) of such section 6(a) before the date of the enactment 
of this Act, such amendments shall take effect on the date 
that is 180 days after the modified date. 
(b) TREATMENT OF CNMI VISITOR ENTRY PRO-
GRAM.—During the 180-day period referred to in sub-
section (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall ad-
minister the visitor entry program of the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands consistent with the provi-
sions of Commonwealth law governing the program that 
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were in effect on the day before the commencement of 
such period. 
SEC. 4. FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION FEE REDUCTION FOR 
RESIDENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Consolidated Natural Re-
sources Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–229; 122 Stat. 754) 
is amended by inserting after section 703 the following: 
‘‘SEC. 703A. FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION FEE REDUCTION 
FOR RESIDENTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH. 
‘‘(a) FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION BENEFIT APPLI-
CATION AND PETITION FEES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of State, the 
Attorney General, and the Secretary of Homeland 
Security shall reduce the fees for family-based immi-
gration benefit applications and petitions (including 
associated fees, such as fees for fingerprinting or 
supporting documents) collected from residents of 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands 
who had immediate relative status pursuant to the 
immigration laws of the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands on May 8, 2008. 
‘‘(2) AMOUNT OF REDUCTION.—The amount of 
the reduction shall be established by the Secretary of 
Homeland Security. It shall be a percentage reduc-
tion that is as least as great as the difference (ex-
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pressed as a percentage) between the average per 
capita income in the Commonwealth of the Northern 
Mariana Islands and the average national per capita 
income in the United States as a whole (as deter-
mined according to the most recent data available 
from the Bureau of the Census). 
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS FOR SPONSOR’S AFFIDAVIT OF 
SUPPORT.—In the case of a resident of the Common-
wealth of the Northern Mariana Islands who had imme-
diate relative status pursuant to the immigration laws of 
the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands on 
May 8, 2008, section 213A(f)(1)(E) of the Immigration 
and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1183a(f)(1)(E)) shall not 
apply. 
‘‘(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take ef-
fect on the date of the enactment of this section and shall 
cease to be effective on December 31, 2014.’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 
for the Consolidated Natural Resources Act of 2008 (16 
U.S.C. 1 note) is amended by inserting after the item re-
lating to section 703 the following: 
‘‘703A. Family-based immigration fee reduction for residents of the Common-
wealth.’’. 
SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATES. 
(a) SECTION 3.—Section 3 shall take effect on the 
date of the enactment of this Act. 
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