Dealing with a Death Abroad in Bulgaria

Dealing with a death abroad is hard enough without a foreign language. This page is about what happens when a relative or partner dies in Bulgaria, a death abroad for the family at home, and how a lawyer can help with registering the death, the akt za smart (акт за смърт, the Bulgarian death certificate), the papers for transportirane na pochinal (транспортиране на починал, the transport or repatriation of the remains) and the estate left behind. It is for families of expats and holiday-home owners who live outside Bulgaria. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Managing the Death Abroad of a Loved one”.

The first steps in Bulgaria

• A doctor confirms the death. When it is sudden or the cause is unclear, the authorities may order a forensic examination before the body is released.
• The death is registered at the municipality where it happened, which issues the Bulgarian death certificate. A family member or a funeral director can deal with this.
• The family's embassy or consulate is told and can give a list of funeral directors and explain what the home country accepts.
• The funeral takes place in Bulgaria, or funeral directors arrange the transport of the body or the ashes home. Travel insurance often covers part of the cost.

Points to watch

The death certificate is in Bulgarian; for use abroad it may need a translation and an apostille, or a multilingual form under EU rules. The documents the home country asks for depend on that country. Property, bank accounts and a car in Bulgaria do not pass to the family automatically: the heirs go through the Bulgarian steps of an inheritance.

What a lawyer does

A lawyer can deal with the municipality and the other authorities for a family that is not in Bulgaria, obtain certified copies and civil certificates, act under a power of attorney, secure the home and papers of the deceased, and start the inheritance, including finding out whether there is a will (see wills in Bulgaria). A lawyer does not replace the funeral director or the insurer but can work with both.

Questions and answers

Who registers a death in Bulgaria?

The municipality where the death happened, on the basis of the medical certificate. Relatives or a funeral director can deal with the formalities.

Does the death also have to be registered in the home country?

It depends on the country. Some accept the Bulgarian certificate for most purposes, others offer or require their own registration; the embassy explains its rules.

Can the body be brought home?

Yes, through funeral directors in Bulgaria and at home, with the documents the two countries and the carrier ask for. Cremation in Bulgaria and the transport of the ashes is another option.

What happens to the deceased person's property in Bulgaria?

It goes through a Bulgarian inheritance: the heirs are established, the estate is accepted or refused, and property is registered in the heirs' names or sold.

Can all of this be done without travelling to Bulgaria?

Much of it, yes. With a power of attorney a lawyer can obtain documents and deal with the authorities and the estate on the family's behalf.