Obtaining a permanent resident card, more commonly referred to as the green card, is not as easy as it once was. Many people don’t realize that a lot has changed when it comes to gaining permanent residence status in the U.S. For example, the most common avenue for qualifying for U.S. residency -marriage – has been greatly restricted and diminished due to legislation passed back in the late 1980s and the late 1990s. Although many popular misconceptions continue to float around these days, the reality is that marriage is still one of the quickest ways to get an American green card, but it typically results in receiving a conditional green card first.