[QUOTE=RedSnapper;22917101]The initial interaction always begins with me handing them my passport. They then flip through the book, looking at the ~100 Schengen stamps, trying to figure out if I've somehow over-stayed during what appear to be multiple "visits" to Europe. Once I get the plastic residence card out of my wallet a few seconds later, they quit looking at the stamps and just wave me through.QUOTE]

Just curious--why not present your passport and residence card to the immigration officer simultaneously, and save those few seconds?

I only ask because whenever I have a visa, or in the past when I've had a separate residence card, I always make sure that's the first thing the IOs see. I either hand them my passport open to the visa page or hand them my passport with the plastic card on top of it. It seems to save fumbling and questions.