Cremation in Bulgaria and Urn Transport to Ukraine

In 30 seconds.

• Cremation is regulated by Ordinance No. 2 of 21.04.2011 on health requirements for cemetery parks and burial (Наредба № 2 за здравните изисквания към гробищни паркове).
• Cremation requires a death record (акт за смърт) and a cremation permit (разрешение за кремация) issued by a doctor.
• Cremation takes place no earlier than 24 hours and no later than 8 days after death, with the body kept in a refrigerated unit the entire time.
• Taking the urn abroad requires a permit from the director of the Regional Health Inspectorate (РЗИ). The fee is €10.23, and the processing time is 24 hours.
• Transporting an urn with ashes to Ukraine costs from €800, with no prepayment.

Source: ИИСДА: Издаване на разрешение за пренасяне на покойници/тленни останки/урна извън страната, 2026

Call +380 77 882 77 77Ask about an urn

Who Gives Consent for Cremation in Bulgaria

Ordinance No. 2 does not list which relatives have the right to decide on cremation. It only states that the place and ceremony for the urn are chosen by the deceased's close ones (близките на починалия). In practice, the documents are submitted to the crematorium by a relative or by a funeral agency acting under a power of attorney. We verify on the spot which exact application form and signatures a specific crematorium requires.

Tip: if there are several close relatives in the family, agree among yourselves before applying. This makes handling the paperwork easier.

Citizenship is not an obstacle here: the rules are the same. If the family is in Ukraine, there is usually no need to travel. You sign a power of attorney, and we work with the local agency and the crematorium.

How Long Is the Wait for Cremation

The timeframes here are strict. Cremation takes place no earlier than 24 hours and no later than 8 days after death, and the body is kept in a refrigerated unit the entire time (Art. 20, para. 2).

This means eight days is the maximum limit, not a rough guideline. Within this time, it is necessary to obtain the death record, the doctor's permit, and the power of attorney from the family, and make arrangements with the crematorium. Weekends and public holidays are included in these eight days. That is why it is important to call us right away.

After cremation, the urn is handed over to the family or placed at the cemetery. If the urn is not collected within 30 days, the ashes are buried in an urn grave on the cemetery grounds (Art. 20, para. 6). For a family in Ukraine, this is an important deadline.

Urn for Transport

The ashes are placed in a special vessel, an urn (Art. 20). For transport, the Ordinance requires a suitable container whose contents are clearly identified (Art. 24, para. 3). This means the deceased's details must be on the urn or in the accompanying documents.

For travel, a durable metal or plastic urn is best. If you are flying, the urn is usually taken in carry-on luggage by prior arrangement with the airline, and it is X-rayed at security. Each airline sets its own rules, so check before buying a ticket.

Can You Transport the Urn Yourself

Yes, a relative can collect the urn and transport it themselves. However, the RZI export permit is required in any case, and the application must be submitted with the full set of documents.

Common problems include: missing the RZI permit, missing an apostille or translation, the airline not approving the urn in the cabin, or names spelled differently across documents. If you are not in Bulgaria or have little time, it is better to entrust this to us.

Burying the Urn in Ukraine

The urn can be buried in a grave, placed in a columbarium, or interred in an existing family grave. You will need the cemetery's consent and the documents we bring with the urn. Read more in the article on urn burial.