Wait time now counts toward 5 year residency?

What I don’t understand is how can one meet the minimal stay requirements for the D7 Visa if they don’t have a residency card and therefore can only stay 90/180 days. Is that counted against you, since it’s impossible to stay either 6 consecutive months/8 total?

If you don’t have the residency card, then how do you get the requirement? The requirement comes from thin air? :grimacing: