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Family Protection

Wills & Inheritance for Expats

What happens to your assets and your children’s guardianship if the worst happens in Dubai — and how a registered will keeps those decisions yours.

Reflects the civil personal status framework for non-Muslims (Federal Decree-Law 41/2022)

Quick answer

Expats in Dubai can register a will through two routes: a Dubai Courts notarised will with fees from around AED 550, or a DIFC Wills Service Centre will from around AED 5,000 (guardianship only) to AED 10,000 (full single will). Without one, bank accounts freeze and the courts decide asset distribution and guardianship of minor children.

What Happens Without a Will

The 2022 reforms improved the default position for non-Muslims, but the practical gaps a will closes are still significant.

Accounts freeze

Personal and most joint bank accounts are frozen on notification of death until a court order issues

Court-decided guardianship

Who cares for minor children is decided in proceedings rather than by your documented choice

Slower distribution

Estates without a registered will take longer to resolve, with legal costs paid from the estate

Cross-border complications

Foreign wills need translation, attestation and recognition — months of extra process

DIFC Will vs Dubai Courts Will

Both are legally recognised. The trade-off is language, cost and probate route.

DIFC Wills Service Centre

  • English-language, common-law framework for non-Muslims
  • Covers UAE assets; full wills can extend to worldwide assets
  • Guardianship-only will from around AED 5,000; full single will around AED 10,000; mirror wills around AED 15,000
  • Dedicated probate route through DIFC Courts
  • Video-witnessed signing available for many cases

Dubai Courts Notarised Will

  • Bilingual — certified Arabic translation required
  • Court fees from around AED 550 plus translation and drafting
  • Processed through the Dubai Courts notary and probate system
  • Well suited to straightforward UAE-only estates
  • Lower total cost for simple wishes

Fee schedules change — verify current amounts on the DIFC Wills Service Centre and Dubai Courts sites before booking. If you own property, align the will with how the title is held; the property buying guide covers joint ownership structures.

Registering a Will, Step by Step

  1. 1

    List your UAE assets and wishes

    Property, bank accounts, vehicles, end-of-service dues, company shares. Decide who inherits what and who should be guardian of minor children — interim and permanent.
  2. 2

    Choose the registration route

    DIFC (English, from about AED 5,000) or Dubai Courts (bilingual, fees from about AED 550). Complex or worldwide estates tend toward DIFC; simple UAE-only estates often use Dubai Courts.
  3. 3

    Draft the will

    Use a drafter experienced with your chosen route. Dubai Courts wills need certified Arabic translation; DIFC wills follow the Centre's format requirements.
  4. 4

    Register and sign

    Book the appointment, bring passports and Emirates ID, sign before the registrar or notary and pay the fee. DIFC offers remote video signing for many cases.
  5. 5

    Store and review

    Give your executor certified copies and the registration reference. Review after births, property purchases, divorce or a move between emirates.

Parents: guardianship is the part that cannot wait

If both parents die without registered guardianship wishes, children’s care is decided by the court while relatives apply from abroad. A guardianship-only DIFC will exists precisely for this — it is the fastest, cheapest way to put your choice on record even before you tackle full estate planning.

Official Channels

  • DIFC Wills Service Centre — difcwills.difccourts.ae, registration and probate for non-Muslims
  • Dubai Courts — dc.gov.ae, notary public and personal status services
  • Abu Dhabi Judicial Department — adjd.gov.ae, wills for non-Muslims registered in Abu Dhabi

Wills & Inheritance FAQ

What happens if an expat dies in Dubai without a will?+
The estate goes through the UAE courts. Since the 2022 civil personal status reforms, non-Muslim residents can have their home-country law applied, but without a registered will the process is slower, accounts can be frozen while the case is decided and outcomes for guardianship of minor children are left to the court.
Do bank accounts really get frozen when someone dies in the UAE?+
Yes — banks freeze the deceased's personal accounts (and joint accounts in most cases) once notified, until a court order distributes the estate. A registered will significantly speeds up that order; families without one can face months of limited access to funds.
What is the difference between a DIFC will and a Dubai Courts will?+
A DIFC Wills Service Centre will is an English-language, common-law instrument for non-Muslims covering UAE and, optionally, worldwide assets, with its own probate route. A Dubai Courts notarised will is bilingual (Arabic required), lower cost and processed through the local courts. Both are legally recognised — the choice usually comes down to budget, asset complexity and language.
How much does it cost to register a will in Dubai?+
Dubai Courts notarised wills start around AED 550 in court fees plus translation and drafting costs. DIFC wills cost more — roughly AED 5,000 for a guardianship-only will and around AED 10,000 for a full single will (about AED 15,000 for mirror wills), plus any drafting fees. Check current fee schedules before booking.
Can I appoint guardians for my children in a UAE will?+
Yes — both DIFC and Dubai Courts wills can name interim and permanent guardians for minor children resident in the UAE. Without a registered appointment, guardianship is decided by the court, which is precisely the uncertainty most expat parents register a will to avoid.
Does a will from my home country work in the UAE?+
A foreign will can be recognised, but it must usually be translated, attested and proven in UAE proceedings — slow and uncertain compared with a locally registered will. Many expats keep two wills: one at home for home-country assets and a UAE will for UAE assets, drafted so neither revokes the other.
Do Muslims need a will in the UAE?+
Estates of Muslim residents are distributed under Sharia inheritance rules. A Muslim resident can still document wishes within what those rules allow — for guardianship preferences and the disposable third of the estate — through the courts.

Sources

Reviewed by the DubaiExpatHub editorial team — last checked .

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Not legal advice

DubaiExpatHub is an information portal, not a law firm or government entity. Our tools and content do not constitute legal advice. Always verify critical information with the relevant authority (RERA, DHA, MOHRE, etc.) or a licensed professional.