DIFC Wills
The registry at the courts of Dubai’s financial centre, based on English common law. English-language and popular with expats for its predictability.
Wills and inheritance in Dubai
Inheritance is the most underrated item on a buyer’s checklist. The Emirates’ legal system is historically rooted in Sharia, and without a will a court may apply local rules to a foreigner’s assets: shares are divided among a circle of relatives, and a spouse does not automatically become the sole heir.
While this is decided, accounts can be frozen and property transactions suspended. UAE law allows the law of the deceased’s nationality to apply, but that route runs through the courts, with time and cost.
The UAE expressly allows non-Muslim foreigners to dispose of their assets as they wish. A registered will removes the uncertainty: the court carries out the owner’s wishes, the process is faster, and the assets go to the people intended.
Talk to a licensed broker: 📲 +971 50 120 32 64 on WhatsApp, @dubai_oleg on Telegram
Inheritance in the UAE: a DIFC will against a mainland will
Without a will recognised in the Emirates, assets held here may not pass the way the owner assumed. What DIFC Wills give a non-Muslim owner, what the mainland register offers instead, and why this is done before the next purchase rather than later.
Read the full article →Where a will is registered
Dubai courts
Registration through the emirate’s state courts — a workable route and often more economical.
Abu Dhabi
The non-Muslim wills office at the emirate’s judicial department, with civil inheritance rules for foreigners.
Inheriting under your own country’s law
For non-Muslim foreigners UAE law allows the law of nationality and civil rather than religious inheritance. It does not apply by itself: without a document heirs have to prove it in court while accounts stay frozen.
The working scheme is a local will in the system of the emirate where the assets are, aligned with the will in your home country. Lawyers usually split the documents by where the assets sit, so each covers its own and they do not contradict each other.
Registering remotely
You do not have to fly in. The consultation, the draft and the review of wording happen online, and in several systems registration with identity confirmation is available by video link. The whole process usually takes from a few days to a couple of weeks.
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Make a will
Name and number — we will ask about assets and family and choose where to register.
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Frequently asked questions
Does a wife automatically inherit her husband’s flat in Dubai?
Without a will, not necessarily and not in full: the court may divide shares among relatives under local rules. A registered will removes that uncertainty.
Is a will made at home valid in the UAE?
A court may take it into account, but recognition is slow and not guaranteed. A separate will registered in the UAE is more reliable.
When should a will be reviewed?
On buying or selling property, a change in family status or the birth of children. Checking it against your assets once a year is sensible.
Related reading
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