To the marriage question first. The understanding in popular culture that marrying a U.S. citizen automatically grants citizen status is incorrect. "The act of marrying a legal permanent resident of the United States doesn't in and of itself do anything," Leopold said. There are three main ways in which someone can get a green card: through an employer, through an immediate relative or through the green card lottery. What's an immediate relative? A parent or a spouse, for example. Essentially, then, a potential immigrant goes from having no immediate relative (and having to hope to win the green card lottery) to suddenly having one -- and for that group, there is no quota on how many green cards can be issued. A green card isn't guaranteed to the new spouse, but it makes them eligible to begin the process.