I wonder when this policy (if you can call it that) changed? We paid the DUC for our cards in mid March '24 and received them the end of April '24. I’d be extremely reticent to pay AIMA €6000 at biometrics. There would then be zero impetus for them to grant final approval and send the cards.
For everyone planning to go ahead I wish you all great fortune and the best of luck with it. 