; and (2) by adding at the end the following: (i) Permanent priority dates (1) In general The priority date for any family-based or employment-based petition shall be the date of filing of the petition with the Secretary of Homeland Security (or the Secretary of State, if applicable), unless the filing of the petition was preceded by the filing of a labor certification with the Secretary of Labor, in which case that date shall constitute the priority date. (2) Retention of earliest priority date The beneficiary of any petition shall retain his or her earliest priority date based on any petition filed on his or her behalf that was approvable on the date on which it was filed, regardless of the category of subsequent petitions. . 3109. Inclusion of permanent partners (a) Immigration and Nationality Act Section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101(a) ), as amended by section 1102, is further amended by adding at the end: (55) Permanent partner (A) The term permanent partner means an individual 18 years of age or older who— (i) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 years of age or older in which both parties intend a lifelong commitment; (ii) is financially interdependent with such other individual, except that the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Secretary of State shall have the discretion to waive this requirement on a case-by-case basis for good cause; (iii) is not married to or in a permanent partnership with anyone other than such other individual; (iv) is unable, in the jurisdiction of his or her domicile or the domicile of such other individual, to contract with such other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act