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 Making a Will in Dubai, UAE

Making a Will in Dubai, UAE - Makebiz

The United Arab Emirates is a modern country where it is customary among visiting residents to deal with inheritance matters as early as possible. Law No. (15) of 2017 in Dubai regulates inheritance, wills and their execution for non-Muslims. If you are over 21, have children under 21 or own assets in Dubai, you need to make a will. If you have assets here or if you have children living with you, you have the right to register them. In addition, in some cases, you can also include assets you own outside the UAE.

Key aspects that can be covered in a will:

  • Custody: it helps you choose who will look after your children, either permanently or temporarily.
  • Asset autonomy: this allows you to control what happens to your property. Without a will, UAE law decides, but with a will you can give certain things to specific people or charitable organisations.
  • Business Succession Planning: If you own a business, your will can plan who gets what and appoint people to take over the business after you’re gone.
  • Asset distribution: A valid will makes it easier for the UAE courts to deal with your belongings after you are gone, following your intentions.

If you don’t have a will, the UAE Inheritance Law will determine how your assets will be distributed, possibly leading to outcomes you didn’t plan for.

You can distinguish between types of wills for expats:

  • A full will covers all your assets and includes guardianship plans.
  • Mirrored — where both members of a married couple make an almost identical will, leaving their belongings to each other in the event of the death of one of them.
  • Incomplete — can deal with specific areas. For example, real estate, guardianship, financial assets, etc.

The basic steps in drafting a document include:

  • Legal Interpretation. Once your draft will has been approved, a legal translation into Arabic will be required for registration with the Dubai Courts. When registering at the DIFC Wills Service Centre, the process is done in English.
  • Registering a will with the Dubai and Abu Dhabi Courts, or with the DIFC Wills Service Centre. Registration with the DIFC covers assets worldwide, the courts of individual Emirates often enforce the document only in their territory. It is worth checking with Makebiz advisers for more details. 

For the registration process, you will need official identification, your draft will, passport and payment of fees. It can take place either in person at specialist centres or by video link. In the document itself, it is important to include your full name, religion, place of residence, order of inheritance, names of witnesses and executors. 

Important: For Muslims, the distribution of assets is determined by Sharia law. However, they can make Sharia compliant wills in Dubai by allocating a third of their assets to charity.

Making a will in Dubai is a wise decision to secure your family’s future. Following these steps will ensure that your wishes are honoured and your loved ones are taken care of in times of need. To make the process easy and quick we advise you to contact the experts. Make an appointment for a free consultation with a Makebiz lawyer and get professional assistance in registering your documents. 

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