Issuing an Article 50 card requires a valid British passport to complete the procedure. However, you can still apply if you have proof of having applied for a new British passport.
This issue crops up in a couple of common circumstances:
- Application for a card for a newborn baby (application required within three months of birth/arrival in Austria).
- Conversion from a five to a ten year card (although you could wait to convert your card in this case).
The BMIBundesministerium für Inneres The Bundesministerium für Inneres (BMI) / Ministry for the Interior (UK counterparty: the Home Office) is competent for public security, policing, border control as well as residency and citizenships. It is also responsible for elections and direct democracy instruments as well as the civil service in the respective provinces, as well as municipal level where they are not covered by the Federal Chancellery. has informed us that you only need to have proof that you have applied for a new passport when you submit the Article 50 application. Submission of the new passport concludes the application procedure.
As previously advised, an Emergency Travel DocumentEmergency Travel Document The Emergency Travel Document (sometimes also called an Emergency Passport) is issued for British citizens abroad who need to travel who do not have a passport for travel (e.g. due to loss/theft/expiry of their previous travel document) and are unable to apply for one in time. Full eligibility criteria can be found on the section of the UK Government Website about Emergency Travel Documents. (ETDEmergency Travel Document The Emergency Travel Document (sometimes also called an Emergency Passport) is issued for British citizens abroad who need to travel who do not have a passport for travel (e.g. due to loss/theft/expiry of their previous travel document) and are unable to apply for one in time. Full eligibility criteria can be found on the section of the UK Government Website about Emergency Travel Documents.) is not acceptable for the initial application process.