Inheritance & Wills for Property Owners

Probate in the UAE is the legal process of validating a deceased person’s will, identifying their assets, settling outstanding debts, and distributing the remaining estate to beneficiaries. After a person dies in the UAE, assets such as bank accounts, property, and investments are typically frozen until a court issues a probate or succession order.  This process ensures that the estate is...

Protecting property with a registered will is one of the most important legal steps for property owners, investors, and expatriates in Dubai and across the UAE. Without a registered will, when a property owner dies, your assets may be frozen, delayed, or distributed according to default inheritance laws instead of your personal wishes. A registered Will confirms your real estate, bank accounts,...

If you own property, hold a bank account, or run a business in the UAE, your answer to the “Is Sharia Law automatically applied in the UAE?” question determines what your family inherits when you die. Sharia law does not automatically or equally apply to all UAE residents or property owners. For decades, Sharia inheritance law applied to everyone in the UAE by default, including non-Muslim...

When one co-owner of a jointly owned property dies in the UAE, the surviving owner does not automatically inherit the deceased's share, even if they are a spouse.  Unlike many Western jurisdictions that recognise a "right of survivorship," the UAE follows a distinct legal framework under which the deceased's share is treated as part of their estate, subject to inheritance laws and, in many cases,...

If you own property in Dubai as a non-Muslim investor, one legal question has the power to dictate every financial decision you've ever made: what happens to your UAE assets when you die? Without a registered will, UAE courts apply Sharia inheritance law by default, regardless of your nationality, your family's wishes, or the value of your portfolio. The DIFC Wills Service Centre exists to change that....

Yes,  foreigners can register a will in Dubai, whether they live in the UAE or abroad. Non-Muslim expats can register through the DIFC Wills Service Centre, Dubai Courts, or the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD). Muslim foreigners can also register wills through the Dubai Courts or ADJD in line with Sharia principles.  In most cases, you don’t even need to be physically present; remote...

If a property owner dies in Dubai, the property does not simply pass to the family overnight. There is a legal process, and without the right preparation, that process can be slow, expensive, and deeply stressful for the people left behind. There are two scenarios to consider: one where the owner has registered a will, and one where no will exists. On top of that, the rules differ for Muslims and...

Inheritance & Wills in Dubai laws are governed by three overlapping legal frameworks: Sharia law, the UAE Personal Status Law, and, for qualifying non-Muslims, Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022. When any of these apply to your estate, the Dubai Land Department cannot transfer your property until the Personal Status Court issues a succession order. That process can take months. It can strip a...