A sad subject: death and funerals in Bulgaria

What to do
The fact of death is established by a doctor, so the first thing to do is call 112 to summon an ambulance. The medic issues a «съобщение за смърт» – the document required to draw up the death certificate. The certificate is drawn up at the kmetstvo or the Municipality. This document is needed to arrange the funeral, receive the inheritance and complete all other formalities.
Important: the ambulance service does not transport bodies; a special vehicle takes the body to the morgue.
If a foreigner dies, the Municipality may send a notification to the consulate of their country of citizenship.

To obtain the death certificate, you must go to the consulate of the country of which the deceased was a citizen. You will need to provide:

• the deceased’s international passport;
• an application;
• the death record;
• the applicant’s identity document;
• the identity document of the person receiving the death certificate.

The funeral

In Bulgaria it is not customary to postpone a funeral – the deceased are usually buried within two days at most. A later burial is possible only if measures have been taken to preserve the body in a special refrigeration chamber or to embalm it.

The arrangements are handled by specialised funeral services («траурни агенции»). The offices of such companies are usually located near cemeteries and large hospitals, and information about them can also be found online. Their staff organise the funeral from start to finish. Both traditional burial and cremation are possible. Since not every Bulgarian city has a crematorium, the funeral agency’s staff arrange transport of the body to the place of cremation and back.

Foreigners may be buried in Bulgarian soil just like citizens of the country. Residence status in Bulgaria usually does not matter, but this question is decided at municipal level. For example, burying a foreigner may require special permission from the mayor.

Approximate cost of funeral agency services:

• Coffin – from 90 to 2000 leva.
• Wreath – from 50 to 400 leva.
• Transport with a refrigeration chamber costs from 50 leva (within the city).
• Undertakers’ services cost on average 200 leva.
• Cremation costs from 200 leva (+ travel, if there is no crematorium in the city).

Many funeral agencies offer comprehensive service – packages ranging from 300 to several thousand leva.
Those who have moved to Bulgaria on a permanent residence permit and are not planning to return to their home country usually choose burial in Bulgaria in such a case. If, however, death overtakes a tourist or a person who is only temporarily in Bulgaria, it is worth considering repatriation of the body.

Transporting the body of the deceased home

Medical insurance policies, which tourists and foreigners with a Bulgarian long-term residence permit are required to purchase, sometimes include a provision such as transporting the deceased home. In this case the insurance company handles the questions of cremation, preparation of a special coffin and transport.

If there is no insurance, or it does not include such provisions, transport is carried out at the relatives’ expense and costs around 2000 – 3000 euros. You can ask your country’s consulate for assistance. In addition, Bulgarian funeral agencies sometimes provide body transport services.

Medical insurance in Bulgaria

Emergency medical services in Bulgaria

Healthcare in Bulgaria