<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2018-08-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001103021</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BDSI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001601692</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KOTLER KEVIN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BROADFIN CAPITAL, LLC</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>300 PARK AVENUE, 25TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001511900</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Broadfin Healthcare Master Fund Ltd</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>20 GENESIS CLOSE ANSBACHER HOUSE,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SECOND FLOOR, P.O. BOX 1344</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GRAND CAYMAN KY1-1108</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>E9</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>CAYMAN ISLANDS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001511901</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Broadfin Capital, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>300 PARK AVENUE, 25TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10022</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-08-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3124</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3124</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4278819</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0.00</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2018-08-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3124</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2022-08-01</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>3124</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>93123</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares of common stock were acquired by the Reporting Person as a result of the vesting of Restricted Stock Units (&quot;RSUs&quot;) granted to the Reporting Person on August 1, 2018 under the Issuer's 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended. The remaining RSUs vest as follows: (i) 18,123 RSUs vest in the first open window following the Company's 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, (ii) 30,000 RSUs vest in the first open window following the Company's 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, (iii) 30,000 RSUs vest in the first open window following the Company's 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders and (iv) 15,000 RSUs vest in the first open window following the Company's 2022 Annual Meeting of Stockholders.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">There are 4,278,819 shares of Common Stock held in the account of Broadfin Healthcare Master Fund, Ltd., a private investment fund managed by Broadfin Capital, LLC, and may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Kevin Kotler, managing member of Broadfin Capital, LLC. Kevin Kotler affirmatively (i) disclaims beneficial ownership of the reportable securities, (ii) states that this report shall not be deemed an admission that he is the beneficial owner of such securities for purposes of Section 16 (&quot;Section 16&quot;) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the &quot;Act&quot;) or any other purpose, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and (iii) disclaims being a &quot;group&quot; for purposes of Section 16.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>BROADFIN CAPITAL, LLC, By:  /s/ Kevin Kotler, Kevin Kotler, Managing Member</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>KEVIN KOTLER, /s/ Kevin Kotler</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>BROADFIN HEALTHCARE MASTER FUND, LTD., By:  /s/ Kevin Kotler, Kevin Kotler, Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2018-08-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
