If you live in the UAE on a residence visa and pass away without a registered will, your estate is not automatically distributed the way you would expect under your home country's law. UAE courts can apply Sharia principles of inheritance by default, which often produces a very different outcome from what an expat family intends.
What "default distribution" actually means
Under default rules, fixed shares are allocated to specified relatives. A surviving spouse may receive a smaller portion than expected, and adult male relatives can take precedence over a wife or daughters in certain scenarios.
The role of a registered UAE will
A will registered with the DIFC Wills Service Centre or Abu Dhabi Judicial Department lets non-Muslim expats elect their home-country principles or distribute assets as they choose — covering UAE real estate, bank accounts, business shares and guardianship of minor children.
Who should act first
- Married expats with children under 21
- Property owners in Dubai or Abu Dhabi
- Business owners and shareholders
- Anyone with significant UAE bank balances or investments