# Legalization of a death certificate
Source: https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/document-legalization/legalization-of-a-death-certificate/
Translation and authentication matched to the origin and use of the record
La Fit Trans prepares Bulgarian and foreign death certificates for municipal, inheritance, pension, insurance and other proceedings. Translation and authentication are matched to the issuer, destination country and receiving authority.
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The expressions “death certificate”, “death record” and “certified extract from the death register” may describe related documents, but they are not interchangeable in every procedure. Accurate preparation starts with the document’s exact title, the civil-status authority that issued it and the country where it will be presented.
## What document is presented as a death certificate?
The death record belongs to the official civil-status register. A certified copy or extract is normally issued for presentation to another authority rather than the register itself. The translation preserves the exact type of copy, the record number and all official features of the issuing authority.
## How is a Bulgarian death certificate prepared for use abroad?
The Bulgarian document is issued by the municipality that keeps the record. Where the destination requires an Apostille, an eligible municipal document is authenticated by the competent regional administration. The route is not identical for every country: a legal-assistance treaty or another applicable regime may remove the Apostille requirement.
## When is an Apostille not needed within the European Union?
Regulation (EU) 2016/1191 simplifies the circulation of certain public documents between EU Member States, including documents concerning death. Within its scope no Apostille is required, and a multilingual standard form can reduce translation needs. The receiving authority and the purpose still determine the acceptable translation format.
## How is a foreign death certificate prepared for Bulgaria?
The form depends on the country of issue. A legal-assistance treaty may exempt the document from legalization; a Hague Convention country will normally use an Apostille; other cases may require consular legalization. Registration in Bulgaria of the death of a Bulgarian citizen abroad uses a duly prepared certified copy or extract and a Bulgarian translation.
## What is the role of a multilingual extract?
A multilingual extract may be issued under an international civil-status convention or accompanied by an EU multilingual standard form. It can simplify recognition and, in the applicable cases, remove authentication formalities. It does not change the underlying record, so any translation is still aligned with the particular proceeding and recipient.
## How does a medical certificate of death differ?
A medical notification or medical certificate is not the civil-status death record. The medical document establishes medical facts used to register the event, whereas the civil-status document is the official registration record. Inheritance, pension, insurance and administrative proceedings therefore require the exact document named by the recipient.
## What details are preserved in the translation?
Personal names are rendered consistently with the original and related identity records. The date and place of death, date of registration, record number, municipality and registrar are translated precisely. Fields, notes, stamps, signatures, the Apostille and any attached form remain clearly distinguished.
## How are the price and completion time determined?
The quotation reflects the countries of issue and use, language, volume and legibility, any Apostille or other authentication and the number of certified copies. Translation time is separated from the time needed to issue the record or complete an external authentication. After review, La Fit Trans states the scope, total price and realistic completion time.
## Question topics
- [Document Legalization 139](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/document-legalization/)
- [Online translation and legalisation of documents 12](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/online-translation-and-legalisation-of-documents/)
- [Offices for translation and legalization 5](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/offices-for-translation-and-legalization/)
- [Translation and legalization orders 5](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/translation-and-legalization-orders/)
- [Translation of documents 20](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/translation-of-documents/)
- [Specialized translations 2](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/specialized-translations/)
- [Quality process management 5](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/quality-process-management/)
- [Interpreting 10](https://www.lafit-trans.com/en/frequently-asked-questions/interpreting/)
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## Support for your particular case
The La Fit Trans team relates the general information to the specific document, language and receiving institution. The quotation then covers the necessary translation and certification, with a clear understanding of the agreed result.
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