Whether you’re an expat or resident, I’m simplify every step of drafting and registering your will in UAE, ensuring peace of mind and legal assurance for your family’s future.
Ensure your family’s future and protect your assets with legally valid UAE Will Drafting and Registration. With over fifteen years of experience, I am trusted experts in providing Will registration services in Dubai for expats, families, and business owners. We specialize in UAE Will Drafting, Guardianship, and Inheritance Planning, helping you secure your loved ones’ future with confidence and legal assurance.
I am specialize in providing expert legal guidance for creating a will in Dubai. I am ensures a smooth and secure will registration in Dubai, helping you protect your assets and loved ones with complete transparency and compliance under UAE law.
Whether you’re an expat or resident, I’m simplify every step of drafting and registering your will in UAE, ensuring peace of mind and legal assurance for your family’s future.
Wills are important legal papers that explain how a person’s money and property will be shared after their passing. Getting help from a legal expert ensures your will is valid and avoids any confusion later. Here’s a simple guide to the different types of wills in Dubai to help you choose the one that’s right for you.
To protect your assets and family while avoiding complications, it’s strongly recommended to have a will in the UAE. Your home country’s laws may not allow you to express your wishes, decide exactly how your assets are distributed, or manage specific gifts and guardianship instructions.
Creating a will in Dubai is essential to make sure your assets are distributed the way you want and to appoint guardians for any minor children. The process includes several important steps to ensure the will is valid and legally enforceable. Here’s a helpful guide to walk you through it.
Step 1 – Check Eligibility
To make a legally valid will in Dubai, you must be a non-Muslim and at least 21 years old, which is the legal age to create a will in the UAE. Confirming these requirements is the first step before starting the process.
Step 2 – List Your Assets and Choose Beneficiaries
Make a complete list of everything you own, including property in Dubai or abroad, bank accounts, investments, vehicles, jewellery, and other valuable belongings. Decide who should receive each item to ensure your estate is distributed according to your wishes.
Step 3 – Appoint an Executor
An executor manages your estate after your passing. Choose a trustworthy person, whether a family member, friend, or professional. They must be over 21 and willing to take on this responsibility. Discuss your choice with them to ensure they are ready to act when needed.
Step 4 – Nominate Guardians for Minor Children
If you have children under 21, appoint primary guardians who will take care of them. Also, name alternate guardians in case the primary cannot fulfill the role. Make sure they agree to take on this responsibility. Clearly stating guardianship ensures your children’s care is secured.
Step 5 – Draft Your Will
Drafting your will can be done independently, but working with legal professionals ensures it follows UAE inheritance laws. Clearly state how each asset should be distributed and include specific instructions, personal wishes, or conditions. A carefully drafted will helps avoid confusion or disputes in the future.
Step 6 – Translate the Will (if needed)
Wills registered with Dubai Courts may need to be in Arabic or include an official Arabic translation. Wills registered with the DIFC Wills Service Centre can be drafted in English. Making sure your will is in the correct language is essential for its legal validity.
Step 7 – Register the Will
Registering your will makes it legally enforceable. You can register with the Dubai Courts Public Notary if you prefer Arabic proceedings, or with the DIFC Wills Service Centre, which handles non-Muslim wills in English. Registration requires submitting the draft will and proper identification to ensure it is recognized by law.
Allocation of Assets: Choose who will receive your property and valuables.
Guardianship for Children: Protect your children by naming responsible caregivers.
Access to Bank Accounts: Make sure your finances are reachable after your passing.
Smooth Probate Process: Make transferring your estate easier and faster.
Full Will (Comprehensive UAE Will):
A Full Will is the most complete estate planning document for individuals with diverse assets and family responsibilities. It allows you to include all types of UAE-based assets — such as real estate, bank accounts, business shares, investments, and personal belongings — within a single, legally recognized Will. With a Full Will, you can cover both asset distribution and guardianship instructions in one consolidated document, ensuring clarity and legal enforceability.
This type of Will is especially useful for expatriate families who want to protect their children’s future and secure their legacy in a centralized and recognized structure.
As digital assets become more common, a Full Will can also include instructions for managing your online holdings. For example, if using the DIFC Courts’ non-custodial digital wallet, you can include cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum Classic (ETH), Matic, USD Coin (USDC), Tether (USDT), Hedera (HBAR), and Hedera Token Service (HTS). Support for NFTs and other blockchain-based assets is expected in the near future.
Best For:
Expats with assets in the UAE
Families with minor children
Anyone seeking full coverage and flexibility in a single registered Will
Guardianship Will (For Minor Children in the UAE):
A Guardianship Will is essential for expatriate families, as it lets you appoint both temporary and permanent guardians for your minor children in the event of your passing. Without a Guardianship Will, decisions about your children’s care may be determined by UAE Sharia law or the courts, which may not reflect your wishes.
Best For:
Parents of minor children residing in the UAE
Single or dual-income households seeking to secure their children’s future
Property Will (UAE Real Estate Only):
If your main or sole asset in the UAE is real estate, a Property Will is the simplest and most efficient choice. It can cover one or multiple properties across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, or other Emirates, ensuring smooth legal transfer of ownership after your passing. This helps avoid forced heirship rules and lengthy court procedures.
Best For:
UAE real estate investors
Non-residents who own property in the UAE but do not live there full-time
Financial Assets Will (Bank Accounts, Pensions, Savings):
A Financial Assets Will is designed to cover your UAE financial holdings, including personal or joint bank accounts, pensions, fixed deposits, and other liquid assets. Since joint accounts in the UAE are typically frozen after death, this type of Will ensures your funds are accessible and distributed according to your wishes.
Best For:
Individuals with substantial UAE bank savings or investment portfolios
Business Owner’s Will (Corporate Shares & Commercial Interests)
Designed for business owners and shareholders in local or free zone companies (including RAK ICC registered entities), a Business Owner’s Will ensures the smooth succession of shares and management control. This type of Will is especially important in UAE Free Zones, where company assets do not automatically transfer to heirs.
Best For:
SME owners
Family business stakeholders
Investors in UAE or offshore companies
Digital Assets Will (Crypto, NFTs & Other Digital Assets)
In the digital age, securing your online assets is just as important as protecting physical property. A Digital Assets Will through the DIFC allows eligible individuals to register their wishes for cryptocurrencies and other supported blockchain tokens. Digital assets can also be included as part of a DIFC Full Will for comprehensive estate planning.
Best For:
Individuals who own cryptocurrencies, NFTs, or other supported digital assets
Every Will we prepare is fully tailored to your needs and complies with UAE laws, including DIFC and Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) regulations, depending on your chosen jurisdiction. Our Will drafting and registration experts will review your assets, family situation, and residency status to recommend the most suitable and effective type of Will for you.
If you live in the UAE or are an international investor with assets or children, it is strongly advised to create a will in the UAE. This ensures your intentions are documented and helps avoid the automatic application of local UAE or Sharia law.
Clearly Express Your Wishes: Ensure your intentions are officially recorded and carried out as you desire.
Specify Asset Distribution: Outline exactly who should inherit your properties and assets in the UAE.
Secure Your Children’s Future: Appoint guardians for your minors instead of relying on default arrangements under UAE law.
Prevent Delays and Disputes: Avoid lengthy legal processes, extra costs, and potential conflicts among family members.
The UAE provides different legal options for Will registration, each designed to offer specific benefits for residents and non-residents. Our experienced Will registration lawyers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi can guide you in selecting the best framework based on your assets, family situation, and personal preferences.
1. DIFC Wills: Common Law Option for Expats & Investors
The DIFC Wills Service Centre provides a common law framework for non-Muslim expatriates and investors, allowing them to register Wills with full testamentary freedom. This option protects your estate from Sharia-based forced heirship and ensures your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
Key Benefits:
Exclusively for non-Muslim expatriates
Covers distribution of UAE assets
Guardianship for minor children can be included
Proceedings conducted in English
Located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC)
Enforceable across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, and other Emirates via execution orders
DIFC Wills are ideal for those who prefer a UK-style inheritance system, offering privacy, certainty, and efficiency while giving full control over asset distribution.
2. Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) Wills: Suitable for Muslims and Non-Muslims
The ADJD Wills Registry allows residents and investors, both Muslim and non-Muslim, to register their Wills under the UAE Civil Personal Status Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022). This framework is suitable for anyone seeking legal recognition of guardianship and asset distribution according to their preferences.
Key Benefits:
Available to Muslim and non-Muslim residents across all Emirates
Includes provisions for guardianship of minor children
Can be prepared in English and Arabic
ADJD Wills provide a flexible option for those who want legal certainty while adhering to UAE personal status regulations, ensuring that their estate and family are protected.
Initial Consultation & Assessment
Our registered Will experts in Dubai start by carefully reviewing your assets, family situation, residency status, and personal wishes. This helps us recommend the most suitable Will type to provide maximum protection and effective estate planning in the UAE.
Personalised Will Drafting
We create a fully customised Will that accurately reflects your instructions and complies with all legal requirements. As experienced registered Will drafters, we ensure every detail meets the regulatory standards of DIFC, ADJD, or other relevant authorities.
Review & Confirmation
You have the opportunity to go through the drafted Will with us, making any adjustments needed. This ensures your document fully reflects your intentions and gives you complete confidence in your estate plan.
Effortless Registration
We manage the entire Will registration process in the UAE, including preparing all necessary documents and coordinating with the relevant authorities such as the DIFC Wills Service Centre or ADJD. Witnessing services are also provided if required, ensuring a smooth and legally valid registration.
Registering a will in the UAE ensures it meets local legal requirements and is fully enforceable. Using a will from your home country can be complicated and time-consuming in UAE courts. Through will registration in Dubai, you can avoid conflicts, simplify the probate process, and ensure your assets are distributed exactly according to your wishes.
If you pass away in the UAE without a registered will, your estate will be distributed according to local UAE laws or Sharia law. In some cases, your home country’s laws may also apply. This can lead to delays, complications, and outcomes that may not match your wishes. Completing will registration in Dubai ensures your estate is handled according to your intentions and avoids unnecessary disputes.
Yes, expatriates have the option to register their wills either with the DIFC Wills Service Centre or Dubai Courts, based on their specific requirements.
If you don’t have a registered will, your estate will be divided according to Sharia law, which might not reflect your personal wishes.
Yes, you can update or cancel a registered will at any time before your passing by submitting a new will or making changes through the proper legal channels.
Let’s connect and discuss how my expertise in Will registration in Dubai can help secure your assets and family’s future. Through professional Will services, I provide tailored guidance to ensure legal compliance, protect your estate, and guarantee your wishes are carried out smoothly in the UAE.