Free UAE guide: the will registration route that fits your family

Free guide for British expats in the UAE

Without a will, the civil default gives half your UAE estate to your spouse.

A 17 page guide written for British expats in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. It sets out the civil succession framework that applies to non-Muslim residents, the four will registration routes and their published fees, and the UK inheritance tax rules that follow you to the Gulf. It also walks through the steps your executors would actually take after a death.

  • 17 pages
  • Updated August 2026
  • No payment details
  • The 2022 civil law and the default distribution
  • The four will registration routes, side by side
  • Registration, revocation and what executors do
  • Why UK inheritance tax still reaches the Gulf

Twenty minutes of reading that could save your family weeks at the land registry.

What happens to your estate

With a valid will

Article 11 of Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 gives a non-Muslim resident the right to leave their UAE estate to whoever they choose, with no forced shares. A registered will also gives your family a defined route on death: with a DIFC-registered will, the executor applies to the DIFC Courts for a grant of probate, and the official FAQ says straightforward grants are normally issued within a few weeks.

Without a will

The civil default under Decree-Law 41 of 2022 gives half the estate to the surviving spouse and half equally among the children, sons and daughters alike. Stepchildren and unmarried partners take nothing, no executor or guardian is appointed, and any share passing to a minor needs court-supervised handling. The family also goes through the general court process rather than a registry-backed one.

Outside your will entirely

Article 17(5) of the Civil Code applies UAE law to wills made by foreigners disposing of real property in the country. There is no automatic survivorship on jointly owned property, so the deceased's share falls into the estate, and the Dubai Land Department will not transfer title without a court document. Practitioners consistently report that banks freeze the deceased's accounts on notification of death, joint accounts included.

With a valid will

Without a valid will

Assets outside the will

Key facts

  • Half to the spouse Where a non-Muslim resident dies without a will, the civil default divides the estate half to the surviving spouse and half equally among the children. Sons and daughters take the same share.
  • AED 950 Registering a non-Muslim will with the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department's Civil Family Court costs AED 950, or AED 2,500 for the expedited service. The ADGM Courts Wills Office is a second door into the same system at AED 950 plus USD 155.
  • 3 to 10 years After leaving the UK you stay a long-term UK resident for a tail of three to ten years, depending on how long you were resident before you left. Only after 10 consecutive tax years of non-UK residence does the status reset.
  • Half to the spouse Why it matters. With no will, half the estate goes to your spouse and half between the children, sons and daughters alike.
  • AED 950 Why it matters. Registration is the cheap part, so the cost of doing nothing is measured in your family's time, not in fees.
  • 3 to 10 years Why it matters. UK inheritance tax follows you for three to ten years after you leave, depending on your recent UK residence.

What is inside the guide

Wills and estate planning for British expats in the UAE How UAE succession law treats your assets, which will registration route fits your situation, and what your family would face at the banks and land registry. Free download · 2026 edition · 17 pages

Common questions

I already have a UK will. Do I need a UAE one as well?

A UK will stays essential for UK assets. For UAE property, Article 17(5) of the Civil Code applies UAE law to wills made by foreigners over real property in the country, and before a UAE court acts on a UK will the document has to survive consular legalisation and certified Arabic translation. British expats in the UAE generally hold two wills, drafted so the two work together.

I already have a UK will. Do I need a UAE one as well?

A UK will stays essential for UK assets. For UAE property, Article 17(5) of the Civil Code applies UAE law to wills made by foreigners over real property here, and before a UAE court acts on a UK will the document has to survive consular legalisation and certified Arabic translation. British expats in the UAE generally hold two wills, drafted so the two work together.

Is it really free?

Yes. No payment details, no trial, no catch. The guide shows you how we think before you decide whether to use us for anything.

Will you fill my inbox?

We send the guide, and nothing else unless you tick the box for the email series. Every email in it has an unsubscribe link that works first time.

Is this legal advice?

No. The guide is general information for British expats, written in plain English. Expat Legacy is a will writing service rather than a law firm.

About the author

Jamie Lee, founder of Expat Legacy, has drafted more than 2,000 wills for British expats. He has lived the expat life himself since 2004.

Twenty minutes of reading, or your family waiting on a UAE court

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