Why Every UAE Resident Needs a Will – professional advice from RBN International
A registered will is the surest way to make sure your property, savings, and children are looked after the way you want. Without one, UAE courts apply default inheritance rules, banks can freeze your accounts, and your family may wait months for money they urgently need.
What happens without a will
Muslim residents: Inheritance follows the UAE personal status law, which is based on Sharia. Family members receive fixed shares. A will can still leave up to one-third of the estate to people who aren’t fixed heirs, and it can name guardians and an executor.
Non-Muslim residents: Under the civil personal status laws (federal and Abu Dhabi), the default is that a spouse generally receives half the estate. The children share the other half equally. Your spouse doesn’t automatically inherit everything, and partners, stepchildren, or friends get nothing.
Bank accounts and property
UAE banks usually freeze a deceased person’s accounts, sometimes including joint accounts. The money stays frozen until a court issues an inheritance order. Property, vehicles, business shares, and end-of-service gratuity also need a court order before they can be transferred. A will names who inherits and appoints an executor who can act quickly. This saves your family time, money, and stress.
Protecting your children
If both parents die without a will, a UAE court decides who cares for the children. This is a serious risk for expat families whose relatives live abroad. A will lets you name a guardian, ideally someone living in the UAE, plus a backup.
How to make one
A will written in your home country may not be recognised smoothly in the UAE. Registering locally is safer. The main options are:
- DIFC Courts Wills Service is for non-Muslims, with wills drafted in English.
- Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) registers wills for non-Muslims, also in English.
- A notary public, such as Dubai Courts, can notarise wills for both Muslims and non-Muslims.
To get started, list your assets and decide who gets what. Then choose an executor and guardians, and RBN INTERNATIONAL – a UAE-qualified professional help you draft and register the will. Review it after major life events such as marriage, divorce, a new child, or buying property.
The bottom line
A registered will protects your family from frozen accounts, court delays, and uncertainty at the hardest possible time. Don’t wait to make one.
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