This is something that interests me as well. I don't have a M&M account yet, but I'm consdiering signing up for one (primarily for the credit card), and the fact that you can't do anything online until you get the premanent membership card has me concerned, since I don't know when I'll fly a *A airline next.

Also, the M&M website gives some contradictory information. On the "Why enrol?" page of their website, they say they send the permanent card after you earn a mile with a partner. However, in the "Help & Contact" section, under the question "Can I also log in with my temporary Miles & More paper card?" they say they send it after you earn a mile with an airline partner. I sent a message from the contact form on their website on Monday asking about this discrepancy, but they haven't responded yet.