Everything You've Wanted
to Ask About UAE Wills

If you own assets in the UAE — property, bank accounts, company shares, vehicles — or have children living here, a registered will is the only reliable way to ensure your wishes are followed. Without one, your estate is distributed through the UAE court process under statutory rules, bank accounts are typically frozen during proceedings, and guardianship of minor children is decided by the court.

The court applies statutory inheritance rules to your UAE estate, which may produce a distribution very different from your wishes. Assets are frozen during proceedings, the process can take months, and guardianship of minor children is determined by the court. Our inheritance disputes team regularly sees the cost and conflict this creates — a registered will prevents most of it.

A foreign will may eventually be recognised, but relying on it means translation, attestation and court procedures that can significantly delay your family's access to assets — with no guarantee every provision will be applied as written. A will registered in the UAE avoids those hurdles.

Yes. Under the UAE's personal status reforms, non-Muslim residents enjoy broad testamentary freedom and may leave their estate to beneficiaries of their choosing through a validly registered will — whether registered onshore or at the DIFC. See our article on the new Personal Status Law.

Yes. Muslim testators can make a will within Sharia parameters — commonly directing up to one-third of the estate to chosen beneficiaries and recording wishes such as guardianship preferences. Our family department, led by Ms. Naima Labgaa, advises on structuring this correctly.

A UAE (onshore) will is drafted under UAE law, notarised in Arabic with Dubai Courts or the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, and covers assets across all seven emirates — it suits Muslims and non-Muslims and is generally more cost-effective. A DIFC will is an English-language will under a common-law framework registered at the DIFC Wills Service Centre, favoured by non-Muslim international families seeking full testamentary freedom. Our lawyers advise which route fits your situation as the first step.

A UAE-registered will is primarily designed for your UAE assets. Depending on your home jurisdiction, worldwide coverage can sometimes be included, but many clients maintain a separate will for foreign assets. We advise on coordinating multiple wills so they do not accidentally revoke each other.

Broadly: non-Muslims (who have never been Muslim) over 21 with assets in the UAE and/or minor children habitually resident with them in the UAE. Mr. Niaz Brohi confirms eligibility at the consultation. Full details are on our DIFC wills page.

Each person needs their own will, but couples usually register mirror wills — matching documents leaving assets to each other and then to the same beneficiaries. Mirror wills are prepared together and benefit from combined pricing.

Yes. Al Safar & Partners handles the entire process remotely: you complete an online questionnaire, consult with your lawyer by phone or video, review drafts by email, and our lawyers coordinate registration with the authority. DIFC wills can be registered by video conference; where an authority requires a personal appearance, we arrange the single appointment and accompany you.

A specialist lawyer at Al Safar & Partners — Ms. Naima Labgaa, Head of Family Department, for UAE wills, and Mr. Niaz Brohi, Legal Consultant, for DIFC wills. Your will is drafted, reviewed and registered by a licensed lawyer, not generated automatically.

The total cost is a fixed professional fee plus the official registration charges of the chosen authority (Dubai Courts, ADJD or the DIFC Wills Service Centre). Official fees differ by route and will type, and couples registering mirror wills benefit from combined rates. We confirm the full fixed cost in writing at your consultation before any work begins.

Most wills are drafted within a few working days of the consultation, and registration is scheduled as soon as you approve the draft. End to end, many clients complete the process within one to two weeks.

Typically: passport (and Emirates ID/visa for residents), beneficiary and executor details, guardian details if you have minor children, and evidence of key assets such as title deeds, share certificates or account details. Clear scans are sufficient to begin — our team confirms the exact list for your route.

Yes, and it is one of the most important reasons to make a will in the UAE. Both the onshore route and the DIFC (which offers a dedicated Guardianship Will) allow you to record your choice of interim and permanent guardians for minor children.

Accounts — including joint accounts — are typically frozen on notification of death until the court issues a succession order. A registered will substantially speeds up that process, and a DIFC Financial Assets Will can specifically direct up to ten bank or brokerage accounts.

Yes. Wills can be amended (by codicil or re-execution) or revoked at any time while you have capacity. Major life events — marriage, divorce, children, new property or business interests — are the usual triggers to review your will, and we handle updates remotely as well.