Federal Old-Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance; Coverage of Residents in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI); Coverage of Ministers, Members of the Clergy and Christian Science Practitioners

We are revising several sections of our regulations to reflect that, for purposes of the title II benefit program (title II of the Social Security Act), we consider the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) to be a part of the United States. The revisions take into account the status of the CNMI under current law and explain the coverage rules for work performed in the CNMI. The revisions also explain that the alien nonpayment provisions, which generally place limits on the payment of title II benefits to aliens (i.e. non-United States citizens or nationals) who are outside the United States, do not apply to aliens in the CNMI. We are also revising our title II rules on coverage for ministers, members of religious orders, or Christian Science practitioners, to reflect a provision in the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 that allows a duly ordained, commissioned or licensed minister, a member of a religious order, or a Christian Science practitioner who previously opted not to be covered under Social Security, a two-year window in which to make an irrevocable election to be covered.