The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for IP mobility management for persistent connections. Without affecting the applications on the network domain, it provides for domain hand-off for a mobile node so that the mobile node can maintain the persistent connection. The mobility management apparatus may comprise a Mobility-Aware Socket module (MAS) and one or more mobility management servers. Each mobility management server communicates with a corresponding mobile node. When a mobile node roams from a first network domain to a second network domain, the mobile node and its target mobile nodes execute the MAS module to support the mobility management for persistent connections through their corresponding mobility management servers.