Permanent Partners Immigration Act of 2003

H.R. 832, the Permanent Partners Immigration Act of 2003, sought to amend federal immigration law to allow U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor their same-sex partners for residency. At the time of its introduction, federal law only recognized marriages between a man and a woman for immigration purposes, preventing same-sex couples from accessing family-based visas. This bill would have granted these "permanent partners" the same immigration benefits and responsibilities currently available to legally married spouses. If enacted, the bill would have allowed binational same-sex couples to remain together in the United States by providing a legal pathway for the non-citizen partner to obtain a green card.