So Terry put in his resignation at his current job tonight...and then I started thinking and realized he'd never done one of the things I'd told him he should do before his conditional permanent resident card expired: get the unrestricted social security card. He has the letter extending the permanent resident card for a year. Can he use that to get the unrestricted card so he doesn't have a hard time with getting a new job...?

I don't know, and I was wondering the same thing for my husband...Im hoping someone has an answer!

I think the answer on this is NO. They would've given him the unrestricted social security card if he had applied before it expired. Now that he is on an extended NOA, he is technically only a year more extended in status. I think you are now going to have to wait for the 10 year green card to apply.

His SSN is extended along with that NOA so it is still good.

The good news may be that lately, I have seen them approve in about 5 months on a lot of people.

Of course, the answer is YES !! As long as your husband applies for his unrestricted social security card before his green card is expired. I know a few people who have done this.

I know some people's local offices that let them get the unrestricted card with the letter, and there are some local offices that did not. WE went to our local office about 20 days before Tom's 2-year card was to expire and they tried to give us a hassle about it. Some jargon that we had to come 20 BUSINESS days before the card expired, when it did not say that anywhere on the websites. We were persistent and eventually they did give in and he got the unrestricted card that day.

I would say, it doesn't hurt to try, and good luck.