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Will
registration
in Dubai

The Importance of
Will Registration
in the UAE

A Will is one of the most important documents that people Will come to write in their lives as a way of ensuring they have an estate planning in place and their last wishes are adhered to by their loved ones.

In the recent years, the UAE legal framework for expats living and owning assets in the UAE has drastically evolved, allowing non-Muslim expats to register Wills for the devolution of their succession (not subject to Sharia principles) either with the DIFC Wills Service Centre (previously known as the DIFC Wills and Probate Registry, hereafter “DIFC Wills Service”), the Dubai Courts or the Abu Dhabi Civil Court.

Among other advantages, having a registered Will may reduce the stress and potential disputes among your heirs by proving a roadmap on how to handle your affairs while facilitating the devolution of your assets to the beneficiaries that you have named in your Will. Without a registered Will, the probate procedure might be more time-consuming, complex, and stressful for your loved ones, increasing the potential disputes among them.

Furthermore, if you have minor children living with you in the UAE, you should consider including specific guardianship provisions in your Will to avoid any uncertainties and disputes among family members regarding the guardianship question as if there is no Will, Sharia principles could eventually apply.

What is the DIFC legislative framework for Wills?

The DIFC Wills Service is a joint initiative of the Government of Dubai and the DIFC Courts that gives non-Muslim expats investing and living in the UAE the option to pass on their assets as they think fit and/or appoint guardians for their children subject to DIFC rules and regulations. DIFC Wills Service and the DIFC Courts provide a modern and user-friendly system in English for inheritance and probate matters for non-Muslims expats that combines operational speed, efficiency and cost effectiveness with the certainty of judicial enforcement.
The registration of a DIFC Will usually takes place through video conference with the DIFC Wills Service. During the registration process, the testator and two witnesses (who are not named as beneficiaries in the DIFC Will) must attend the online appointment and shall sign digitally the DIFC Will before the officer shall affix the DIFC Wills Service stamp, the digital copy being the original as the DIFC Will Service does not issue hard copies,

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What type of DIFC Wills
might be registered?

Currently, it is possible to register five (5) different types of DIFC Wills:

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    Full DIFC Will

    to cover any and all aspects and assets. (i.e. guardianship, executor appointment, gifts, legacies, burial arrangements, devolution of the residuary estate, etc.)

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    Guardianship
    DIFC Will

    limited
    to guardianship
    provisions

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    Property
    DIFC Will

    up to five real estate properties within the UAE

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    Business
    owners
    DIFC Will

    up to five real estate properties within the UAE

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    Financial
    assets
    DIFC Will

    up to ten bank and/or brokerage accounts registered in the UAE

DIFC mirror Wills are also available in the event you wish to register a Will along with your husband or wife.

What is
the Abu Dhabi legislative framework for Wills?

Following the enactment of Abu Dhabi Law No. 14/ 2021 on the Civil Marriage and Its Effects in 2021, foreign testators may register a civil Will and distribute their assets in the UAE to whoever they see fit (not subject to Sharia principles). There is no different type of Wills and testators have the possibility to register tailored made Wills in English and Arabic with the Abu Dhabi Civil Court covering any and all aspects related to their succession. Currently, the registration takes place via video conferencing and witnesses are not required. Although the Abu Dhabi Civil Court has been recently formed, this option by its simplicity and costs effectiveness is gaining in popularity, the probate process being conducted in English and Arabic.

What are the information
typically requested to register a Will?

In view of the preparation of a full DIFC Will (which is the most common type of Will registered) or a Will in Abu Dhabi,
the following information is usually requested:

  • 01

    Testator’s nationality, religion and ID documents

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  • 02

    Family declaration

    (i.e. marital status, children, step-children, etc.)

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  • 03

    List of assets to be covered by the Will.

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  • 04

    Appointment of an executor

    and a substitute executors in case the first appointment fails, along with their details.

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  • 05

    Information on the beneficiaries

    and their entitlements under the Will along with their contact details.

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  • 06

    Information on any specific gift or wishes to be included in the Will

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  • 07

    In case of minor children,

    specific instruction related to guardianship provisions along with the details of the guardian(s).

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  • According to the circumstances of each case, further clarifications may be requested.

Our Steps

  • STEP 01
    Provide information and documents to prepare the Will
  • STEP 02
    Preparation of the Will and validation of the content with the testator
  • STEP 03
    Registration of the Will

PRICING

  • One Will Registration

    AED 6500* (+VAT)
    For DIFC and Abu Dhabi full Will Registration
    Drafting of the Will Legal translation in Arabic (if applicable) Covers distribution of assets in the UAE and abroad Covers appointment of guardians Assistance for the registration the Will, includes acting as a witness (if applicable) To be appointed as executor (if requested) * DIFC and Wills service costs for one Will: AED 10,000
    * Abu Dhabi Court Will service cost for one Will: AED 950

  • Mirror Will Registration

    AED 8500* (+VAT)
    For DIFC and Abu Dhabi full Mirror Will Registration
    Drafting of the Will Legal translation in Arabic (if applicable) Covers distribution of assets in the UAE and abroad Covers appointment of guardians Assistance for the registration the Will, includes acting as a witness (if applicable) To be appointed as executor (if requested) * DIFC and Wills service costs for one Will: AED 10,000
    * Abu Dhabi Court Will service cost for one Will: AED 950

Enter your details For Will ReGISTRATION

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TIMELINE

  • 01
    Drafting

    1 to 2 working days

  • 02
    Preparation and validation

    3 to 5 working days

  • 03
    Registration

    1 working day According to availability of the Will service selected