Without a UAE-registered will, local courts apply Sharia-influenced inheritance laws to your assets regardless of your nationality or religion. A registered DIFC Will or ADJD Will changes that permanently.
Without a UAE will, local courts decide who inherits your Dubai property.
UAE courts apply local inheritance rules to Dubai property regardless of what your home-country will says. Foreign wills have no automatic legal standing over UAE-based assets.
Your family cannot access frozen accounts without a registered will.
When an expat dies without a UAE-registered will, bank accounts are typically frozen pending court proceedings. The process can take months and causes serious financial hardship during an already difficult time.
A UAE court may decide who raises your children, not you.
Without a guardianship will registered in the UAE, custody of minor children may not automatically pass to the surviving parent. Courts apply local rules, which may not reflect your wishes.
Your UK, Indian, or US will does not protect your UAE assets.
Most expats discover this too late. A will registered abroad carries no automatic authority over UAE property, bank accounts, or investments. A UAE-registered will is required for full protection.
Two will registration systems operate in the UAE. The right choice depends entirely on where your assets are held and whether you need international coverage.
| Feature | DIFC Will (Dubai) | ADJD Will (Abu Dhabi) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal system | Common Law | Civil Law |
| Court authority | DIFC Courts, Dubai | Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court |
| Language | English only | English and Arabic (both required) |
| Single will | 27,000 AED | 5,500 AED |
| Mirror will | 34,000 AED | 7,000 AED |
| UAE asset coverage | All seven emirates | All seven emirates |
| International asset coverage | Yes (Common Law jurisdictions) | UAE assets only |
| Muslim expats eligible | Non-Muslims only | Muslim and Non-Muslim |
| Registration time | Approx 7 days | 2 to 3 days |
| Hearing timeline | Within 1 month | Within 2 to 3 months |
| Total completion | 3 to 4 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Updating the will | Free, anytime | Cancel and re-register at full fee |
| Future assets | Automatically covered | Re-registration required |
| Process | Fully online | Fully online (includes translation) |
| Best suited for | Expats with overseas assets or Common Law jurisdiction property | Expats whose assets are entirely within the UAE |
One conversation is all it takes to know which route is right for your assets, your family, and your budget.
Your UAE assets are protected across all seven emirates, at the most cost-effective rate available.
The right choice if all your assets are held within the UAE. Significantly more affordable than the DIFC route with the same UAE-wide enforceability.
Your UAE and international assets in Common Law jurisdictions are covered under one registered document.
The right choice if you hold property or assets outside the UAE, or intend to. One document covering everything you own across multiple jurisdictions.
If you hold property, savings, or investments in a Common Law country, a DIFC Will is the only document that brings all of it under one registered instrument.
Any jurisdiction operating under English Common Law is covered. If you are unsure whether your home country qualifies, ask us directly.
For assets in Civil Law countries, a separate local will is required alongside your UAE will. We can advise on this during your consultation.
The UAE has a large and diverse expatriate population. Approximately 88 percent of residents are foreign nationals, many of whom own property, hold local bank accounts, and have built substantial financial lives in the country. Without a UAE-registered will, every one of those assets is subject to local inheritance rules upon death.
The UAE operates under a dual legal system for inheritance purposes. For Muslims, Sharia law applies. For non-Muslims, the situation is more nuanced: without a registered will, courts may still apply aspects of local law that diverge significantly from the deceased's intentions and from the inheritance laws of their home country.
Many expats living in Dubai assume that their UK, Indian, Australian, or US will covers everything they own. This is incorrect. A will registered abroad has no automatic authority over UAE-based assets. Dubai courts require a will registered within the UAE's own legal framework to recognise and enforce inheritance instructions over local property, accounts, and investments.
This is one of the most common and costly misconceptions among expats in Dubai. The correction is straightforward: a DIFC Will or ADJD Will registered in the UAE takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks and provides complete legal protection going forward.
The DIFC Wills and Probate Registry was established under Dubai Law No. 15 of 2017. It operates under Common Law and provides expats with a familiar legal framework for estate planning. A DIFC Will covers UAE-based assets and, uniquely, can also cover assets held in Common Law jurisdictions abroad. This makes it the strongest option for expats with property or investments in the UK, USA, Australia, India, or Singapore.
The process is fully online and includes a short 5-minute video call hearing scheduled within one month of registration. Future assets are automatically covered without re-registration, and updates can be made at any time at no additional cost.
The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department offers an alternative will registration route under Civil Law. ADJD Wills are available to both Muslim and Non-Muslim expats, cover all UAE assets across all seven emirates, and are significantly more affordable than the DIFC route.
The ADJD route does not cover assets outside the UAE. Any updates to an ADJD Will require cancelling the existing registration and re-registering at the full fee, unlike the DIFC route where changes are free. For expats whose assets are entirely UAE-based, the ADJD Will provides comprehensive, enforceable coverage at a fraction of the cost.
One of the most important and often overlooked aspects of UAE estate planning is the guardianship of minor children. Without a registered will that includes guardianship instructions, UAE courts may assign custody according to local rules rather than parental wishes. This can result in the surviving parent not automatically receiving full custody, particularly in cases involving international families.
Both DIFC and ADJD wills can include guardianship provisions. This is a critical consideration for any expat family with children living in the UAE.
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Every question below is answered by a licensed specialist. If yours is not here, message us directly.
Without a UAE-registered will, local authorities apply Sharia-influenced inheritance laws regardless of your nationality or religion. Bank accounts and property are typically frozen pending court proceedings. Assets may be distributed to relatives in a way that contradicts your intentions. Guardianship of your minor children may not pass automatically to the surviving parent.
A DIFC Will operates under Common Law, is registered with the DIFC Courts in Dubai, and covers UAE assets plus assets in Common Law jurisdictions internationally. An ADJD Will is registered with the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, covers all UAE assets across all seven emirates, is available to Muslim and Non-Muslim expats, and is the more cost-effective option for UAE-only asset holders. ADJD Wills do not cover assets outside the UAE.
No. A will registered abroad has no automatic legal standing over UAE-based assets. Dubai courts require a UAE-registered will to recognise and enforce inheritance instructions over local property, bank accounts, and investments. This is one of the most common and costly misconceptions among expats in the UAE.
Yes. Both DIFC Wills and ADJD Wills are available to Non-Muslim expats. ADJD Wills are also available to Muslim expats. Both routes are fully online and do not require physical presence in the UAE.
Yes. A DIFC Will can cover assets in any Common Law jurisdiction including the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada (except Quebec), India, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Kenya, and many others. An ADJD Will covers UAE assets only.
Yes. The entire process is fully online from initial consultation through to registration. You do not need to be present in the UAE at any stage.
Both DIFC and ADJD will registration typically completes in 3 to 4 weeks when documents are submitted promptly. DIFC registration takes approximately 7 days with a video call hearing within one month. ADJD registration takes 2 to 3 days with a hearing scheduled within 2 to 3 months.
A mirror will is when two people, typically spouses, each register a will that mirrors the other, naming each other as the primary beneficiary. Message us for current pricing on both DIFC and ADJD mirror wills.
Yes. Both DIFC Wills and ADJD Wills can include guardianship provisions specifying who should care for minor children. Without registered guardianship instructions, UAE courts may assign custody according to local rules, which may not reflect your wishes as parents.
With a DIFC Will, updates can be made at any time at no additional cost. With an ADJD Will, any update requires cancelling the existing will and re-registering at the full fee.
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