BG → UA · 24/7
Repatriation of the deceased from Bulgaria to Ukraine
from €2,500 including documents, the coffin and transport to your town. We will give you the exact price within 5 minutes.
Summary. The price of bringing the deceased home from Bulgaria is from €2,500: it covers the documents, the coffin and the road to your town, while the funeral in Ukraine is a separate service. The regional health inspectorate (RZI) permits the removal of the body, and the coffin is soldered and sealed in the presence of a sanitary inspector. We usually go by road through neighbouring countries to the Ukrainian border, without a flight. The body's journey home to Ukraine takes from 24 hours after collection. Tell us the city and the address and we will give you the exact price within 5 minutes.
Thank you. We will call you back. For urgent matters, please call: +380 77 882 77 77.
- Since 2015 bringing people home
- Ukrainian company Company code (EDRPOU) 46261246
- Contract with a fixed price
- 35 countries with “from” prices
- Own workshop coffins and funeral goods
- 24/7 one number from start to finish
If it has just happened
- Call or write any time. We explain what to say. We contact the hospital and the police.
- Find the insurance policy. The compensation depends on it.
- Name two cities. Where it happened. Where to bring the body. The passport can come later.
What we do from the first call
Bulgaria is one of the EU countries closest to Ukraine. Many Ukrainians work and live there, or go there on holiday, including to the seaside. When a family loses someone there, they need somebody to take charge quickly. That is what we do, from the first conversation with the hospital to handing the deceased over to the family in Ukraine.
We listen and give you the price
We find out where the death occurred and where the body is now. We tell you what to do first and give you the price.
The Bulgarian documents
An extract from the death record and the permit from the regional health inspectorate to take the body out of the country.
Preparing and sealing the coffin
A hermetic coffin, soldered shut and sealed in the presence of a state sanitary inspector.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Sofia
Legalisation of the Bulgarian certificate that there are no prohibited items, and translation of the documents into Ukrainian.
The journey home
Usually by road to the Ukrainian border, without flying. Then on to your town.
We hand the deceased over to the family
We bring the deceased wherever you tell us: home, to a church or to a farewell hall. We can also organise the funeral anywhere in Ukraine.
We work out your price
Call or leave your number.
Documents in Bulgaria
The permit to take a body out of Bulgaria is issued by the regional health inspectorate (RZI). We obtain this permit for you.
What Bulgaria issues
- An extract from the death record (prepis-izvlechenie ot akt za smart): the Bulgarian document that registers the death.
- The permit to take the deceased out of the country (razreshenie za prenasyane na pokoynik izvan stranata). It is issued by the regional health inspectorate (RZI).
- A sanitary inspector at the sealing. When the coffin is made airtight, or soldered shut and sealed, a state sanitary inspector of the RZI attends.
What Ukraine requires
- A death document. The Bulgarian extract from the death record, with a translation into Ukrainian, travels with the body.
- A certificate that the body and the coffin contain no prohibited items. It is issued by the competent Bulgarian authority and legalised in Sofia by the Embassy of Ukraine.
- A hermetic metal coffin under official seal. In Bulgaria the coffin is sealed in the presence of an RZI inspector. We make sure the Ukrainian requirement is met at the same time.
- A written customs declaration in any form. We prepare the text; you only need to sign it.
The exact list depends on the circumstances of the death. We check it with the RZI and the local offices before submitting the documents.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Bulgaria
Consular matters for Ukrainian citizens in Bulgaria are handled by the Embassy of Ukraine in Sofia. From time to time, the Embassy also holds visiting consular sessions in other cities. We will tell you where and when to apply in your particular case.
- The consul registers the death and issues the Ukrainian death certificate. The first copy is free of consular fees.
- The consul legalises the certificate that there are no prohibited items. This is the stamp the Ukrainian border guards look for.
- For the social protection authorities the consul provides a certificate, which the family needs to claim the funeral allowance.
- The consulate helps the family with the return of the body or the urn and stays in touch with them.
Before the documents go to the Embassy, we certify the Bulgarian documents and translate them into Ukrainian. We do this ourselves, so the family does not have to. More in the article “The Ukrainian consulate when someone dies abroad”.
How we bring the deceased home from Bulgaria
Bulgaria is close enough that an air leg is usually not needed. The body travels in our specialist vehicle through the countries in between to the Ukrainian border, and then on to your town. This is often simpler and cheaper than a flight. If the family asks for a faster option, we can consider flying part of the way to an airport near the border (the air leg itself takes from 2.5 hours). We do not promise direct flights to Ukraine.
Where we collect from
We collect the deceased from Sofia, Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, from the seaside resorts (Sunny Beach, Golden Sands, Nessebar) and from any other Bulgarian town or village: from a hospital, a morgue or from another place where the deceased is. The road from the coast is longer than from Sofia, so we work out the amount for your town.
Timing. The journey home takes from 24 hours after collection. The exact time depends on how quickly the extract from the death record and the RZI permit are issued, and on the queue at the border.
The coffin. The coffin must meet Bulgarian rules. We prepare one that also suits the Ukrainian border: metal, hermetic and sealed.
Embalming. Embalming is not compulsory for taking a body out of Bulgaria. Whether it is needed depends on the time of year, the condition of the body and the length of the journey. We will advise once we know the details.
Price of repatriation from Bulgaria
Body from Bulgaria from €2,500What the price includes
The price includes:
- contact with the hospital and the morgue
- local, consular and border documents
- preparing the body for the journey
- hermetic coffin, soldered zinc liner
- sealing as the border requires
- usually by road; if needed, part of the way by air
- handover to the family in your town
Farewell coffin: quoted separately.
What can change the price
The “from” price covers the whole journey home. The final amount depends on where we collect from (Sofia or the coast), on your town in Ukraine and on the type of coffin. A funeral in Ukraine is a separate service, which we can also take on anywhere in Ukraine. We will tell you the exact amount when we talk.
Call us, day or night
Languages: Ukrainian, English, Polish, German. The same number works on Viber, WhatsApp and Telegram.
Questions about repatriation from Bulgaria
How much does it cost to bring the deceased home from Bulgaria?
It costs from €2,500 for the whole journey home. The list above shows what is included. The exact amount depends on the city and the route; we will tell you when we talk.
How long does it take?
The journey home with the deceased takes from 24 hours after collection. We usually go by road, without flying. The documents take longer: the extract from the death record, the RZI permit and the legalisation of the certificate at the Embassy of Ukraine.
Who issues the permit to take the body out of Bulgaria?
The regional health inspectorate (RZI). When the coffin is soldered shut and sealed, a state sanitary inspector of the RZI attends. We prepare the application and the documents for the RZI.
What do I need to do as a relative?
Give us your contact details and the deceased's passport, if you have it. We prepare the application to the RZI, the documents for the Embassy in Sofia, the translations and the customs declaration. When your signature is needed, we will send the document and explain where to return it.
Does someone from the family have to be present when the coffin is sealed?
Usually not. Under Bulgarian rules a state sanitary inspector of the RZI attends when the coffin is soldered shut and sealed. We deal with the RZI, the hospital and the Embassy in Sofia, and we stay in touch with you by phone and in messaging apps. If you want to say goodbye in Bulgaria, tell us in your first call.
Someone died at the seaside while on holiday. Where do I start?
Call us. We will tell you what to say to the hospital or the police, and we will talk to them ourselves. If there was travel insurance, tell us about it, and we will work out the transport with the insurer together. Do not sign a contract with a local service until you have talked to us. For a step-by-step guide, see the page “What to do if a loved one dies abroad”.
Is embalming needed?
No, embalming is not compulsory for taking a body out of Bulgaria. A hermetic coffin is compulsory, and we prepare it. Whether embalming is needed in your case, we will advise after we have spoken. More in the article on the coffin and embalming.
Will insurance cover the transport?
It may, if the policy covers repatriation of the body. Send us a photo of the policy. We will check the terms and deal with the insurer ourselves. Often a policy pays only for the journey as far as the border. We will tell you about the rest in advance.
Which cities in Bulgaria do you collect from?
From any city in Bulgaria: Sofia, the coast, the mountain resorts. Only the length of the road to the border depends on the place.
Can you bring home an urn with ashes?
Yes. Ukrainian law sets the same requirements for an urn as for a coffin: a death document and a certificate that there are no prohibited items, legalised in Sofia. It costs from €700. More on the page “Transport of an urn with ashes to Ukraine”.
Tell us what happened
Oleg Zdendiak and the team. We explain the next steps.
Send a request for repatriation from Bulgaria
Leave your number and we will call you back.
Thank you. We will call you back. For urgent matters, please call: +380 77 882 77 77.
Nearby destinations: Romania, Greece and Turkey. All countries are on the countries page.