Making a Will in Dubai: What UAE Expats Need to Know
Non-Muslim expats in the UAE can direct how their UAE assets are distributed and who cares for their children by registering a will through one of the available routes, including the DIFC Wills Service and the Dubai Courts notary wills registration. Without a registered will, the position is determined by the applicable succession rules and the process is slower, which can leave a surviving spouse without immediate access to a joint bank account and without a clear guardianship arrangement. The practical priority for most expat families is a registered will covering UAE property, bank accounts, shares in UAE companies and guardianship of minor children.
Why a UAE will matters even if you have one at home
A will made in your home country may deal with assets there perfectly well and still be difficult to apply quickly to a Dubai apartment, a UAE bank account or shares in a UAE company. Recognising a foreign will typically involves translation, attestation and a court process, which takes time at exactly the moment a family needs access to money.
A locally registered will is designed to be recognised and acted on here. It sits alongside, rather than replaces, your home-country planning — but the two must be drafted so they do not contradict each other.
The registration routes
DIFC Wills Service
A common-law based registration service available to non-Muslims, covering UAE assets and, through the relevant will types, guardianship of minor children resident in the UAE. It offers full wills as well as narrower options limited to property, financial assets or guardianship.
Dubai Courts notary wills registration
Non-Muslim wills can also be registered through the Dubai Courts notary process. The requirements, language and documentation differ from the DIFC route.
Abu Dhabi and other emirates
Registration options exist in other emirates, including through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. Where your assets sit across emirates, the drafting needs to account for that.
Eligibility, fees, appointment requirements and the exact will types available are set by the DIFC Wills Service, Dubai Courts and the equivalent authorities, and are updated periodically. Confirm the current requirements with the chosen registry before you file.
What your will should cover
- UAE real estate, identified precisely by title deed details rather than a general description.
- UAE bank accounts, including joint accounts, and what should happen to each.
- Shares in UAE companies, and how they interact with any shareholders' agreement or transfer restriction.
- Vehicles, valuables and other personal property held here.
- Guardianship of minor children resident in the UAE, including interim guardians who are physically present.
- Executors, with a realistic view of who can practically act in the UAE.
- Any specific gifts, and a residuary clause so nothing is left undirected.
Guardianship: the part parents underestimate
For expat parents, guardianship is often more urgent than the money. Appointing a permanent guardian abroad is sensible, but travel takes time. Appointing an interim guardian who is already in the UAE means someone can act immediately, which matters for schooling, medical decisions and immigration status.
Name substitutes for every appointment, and tell the people you name. A guardian who first learns of the appointment from a court is not a plan.
Property, mortgages and joint ownership
If you own Dubai property, make sure the will describes it by title deed and reflects how it is actually held — sole, joint or through a company. A mortgage does not disappear on death; the outstanding balance and any life cover attached to it should be understood as part of the plan.
If you are still buying, our guide to buying property in Dubai sets out the ownership and registration steps to get right at the outset, which makes the will far simpler later.
Practical steps
- List every UAE asset with the document that proves ownership.
- Decide beneficiaries, executors, and guardians including interim guardians in the UAE.
- Choose the registration route that fits your assets and family.
- Have the will drafted so it does not conflict with any home-country will.
- Complete the registry's registration process and requirements.
- Store the confirmation with your key documents and tell your executor where it is.
- Review after any major change: marriage, divorce, a new child, a property purchase or a new company.
Our will and family protection service is AED 2,950 and covers the drafting and the registration route for a UAE family. If you want to talk it through first, an hour with a Dubai lawyer is AED 750, credited against a larger instruction.
Practical checklist
- Inventory every UAE asset with proof of ownership.
- Confirm how each asset is held: sole, joint or corporate.
- Decide beneficiaries and a residuary beneficiary.
- Appoint executors who can practically act in the UAE.
- Appoint permanent and interim guardians for minor children.
- Choose the registration route and confirm current requirements.
- Check the UAE will does not conflict with a home-country will.
- Tell your executor and guardians where the documents are.
- Diarise a review after any major life or asset change.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a home-country will covers UAE assets quickly.
- Naming only a guardian who lives abroad.
- Describing property loosely instead of by title deed.
- Ignoring joint bank accounts and how they are treated.
- Drafting a UAE will that contradicts an existing foreign will.
- Registering and then never updating after a divorce, birth or purchase.
- Keeping the only copy where nobody else can find it.
Frequently asked questions
Do expats in Dubai need a UAE will?
If you hold UAE assets or have children resident here, a registered UAE will is the practical way to make your wishes effective quickly. Without one, the process is slower and less certain for your family.
What is the difference between a DIFC will and a Dubai Courts will?
They are separate registration routes with different requirements, documentation and will types. The right one depends on your assets, your family and your eligibility, so confirm the current criteria with each registry.
Can a will cover guardianship of my children?
Yes. Guardianship appointments, including interim guardians resident in the UAE, can be dealt with through the available will types. This is often the most important part for expat parents.
Does a UAE will cover assets in my home country?
It can be drafted to be limited to UAE assets, which is usually cleaner where you already have a home-country will. What matters is that the two documents are consistent.
What happens to a joint bank account?
Access can be restricted while the estate position is resolved, which is why families often keep a separate account and address the point expressly in the will. Confirm your bank's process.
How much does a will cost with Dubai Legal Office?
Our will and family protection service is AED 2,950 for the drafting and registration route. Registry fees are set by the registry and paid separately.
This guide is general information about UAE federal law, Dubai rules and, where stated, DIFC or ADGM rules. It is not legal advice on your situation, and rules, fees and procedures change. Verify anything you intend to rely on against the current official source, or instruct a UAE-licensed lawyer through the service linked above.