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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2019-03-20</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001726687</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Plesha Scott M.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O BIODELIVERY SCIENCES INTL, INC.,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4131 PARKLAKE AVE. SUITE 225</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>RALEIGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NC</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>27612</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>See Remarks</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-20</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>8333</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>232337</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>240670</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20833</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>261503</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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            </transactionTimeliness>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
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            </securityTitle>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-20</value>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-03-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8333</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8334</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
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            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
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            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
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            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2020-03-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>8333</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8334</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
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                <value>0.00</value>
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            <transactionDate>
                <value>2019-03-20</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20833</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.00</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-03-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20833</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>41667</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Restricted Stock Units</value>
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                <value>0.00</value>
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                <value>2019-03-20</value>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
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                <value></value>
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                </transactionShares>
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                    <value>0.00</value>
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                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                <footnoteId id="F4"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2021-03-19</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>20833</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
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                    <value>41667</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                    <value>D</value>
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        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The shares of common stock were acquired by the Reporting Person as a result of the vesting of 8,333 of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) granted to the Reporting Person on February 6, 2017 under the Issuer's 2011 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (the EIP). The remainder of the RSUs under this grant will vest in the first open window upon the filing of the Company's Annual Report in March 2020.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares of common stock were acquired by the Reporting Person as a result of the vesting of 8,333 Performance RSUs granted to the Reporting Person on February 6, 2017 under the EIP, subject to certain performance measures. The remainder of the PRSUs under this grant will vest after the first open window upon the filing of the Company's Annual Report in March 2020 subject to certain performance measures.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The shares of common stock were acquired by the Reporting Person as a result of the vesting of 20,833 of RSUs granted to the Reporting Person on February 18, 2018 under the EIP. The remainder of the RSUs under this grant will vest in the first open window upon the filing of the Company's Annual Report in March 2020 and March 2021.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The shares of common stock were acquired by the Reporting Person as a result of the vesting of 20,833 Performance RSUs granted to the Reporting Person on February 18, 2018 under the EIP, subject to certain performance measures. The remainder of the PRSUs under this grant will vest after the first open window upon the filing of the Company's Annual Report in March 2020 subject to certain performance measures.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>President and Chief Commercial Officer</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Scott Plesha</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2019-03-22</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
