Most foreign buyers plan the purchase carefully and never plan what happens to the asset afterwards. A Dubai will for expats is the document that closes that gap. It lets a non-Muslim owner say who receives their UAE property, accounts and business shares, and who looks after their children.
This guide explains the DIFC Courts Wills Service in plain English. It covers who can register a Dubai will for expats, the types of will, the published fees and the mistakes that cause trouble later. It is general information, not legal advice. Every fact below comes from the DIFC Courts’ own pages, and each source is linked.
Table of Contents
- The Short Answer
- Who Can Register a Dubai Will for Expats
- Types of Dubai Will for Expats
- What a Dubai Will for Expats Costs
- Protecting Property: Full Will or Property Will
- Guardianship for Your Children
- How Registration Works
- Mistakes to Avoid
- Founders and Business Owners
- What Happens After Death
- FAQ
- Your Next Step
The Short Answer on a Dubai Will for Expats
If you are non-Muslim and own assets in the UAE, a Dubai will for expats is the tool for choosing your heirs. The DIFC Courts Wills FAQ describes its Wills Service as a joint initiative of the Government of Dubai and the DIFC Courts. It gives non-Muslims who invest and live in the UAE the option to pass on their assets and appoint guardians for their children as their will instructs.
The same page says many expatriates do not realise that, without a registered will, transferring assets to loved ones is time-consuming and legally complex. That is the practical case for a Dubai will for expats. It is about certainty for your family.
The service was set up by Resolution No. 4 of 2014 of the DIFC President. Its authority was re-affirmed by Dubai Law No. 15 of 2017, which regulates inheritance, wills and probate for non-Muslims. A DIFC Courts statement from November 2017 explains that the law created a Wills Registry for Non-Muslims.
Who Can Register a Dubai Will for Expats
The DIFC Courts sets three conditions for a Dubai will for expats. You must:
- be non-Muslim and have never been Muslim;
- be at least 18 years old;
- own assets in the UAE, or have minor children residing with you in the UAE.
You do not need to be a UAE resident. The FAQ states that you do not need a UAE visa either, and that you can register virtually from anywhere in the world. Your executors and guardians do not have to live in the UAE. Witnesses can join the registration appointment by video link.
Witnesses must be at least 18 and hold a valid passport or government photo ID. They cannot be beneficiaries or guardians in the will, or the spouses of beneficiaries or guardians.
Types of Dubai Will for Expats
A Dubai will for expats comes in several forms. Pick the one that matches your assets. The table summarises the DIFC Courts fee schedule and the FAQ.
| Type | Covers | Single | Mirror wills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full Will | All movable and immovable assets, plus guardians for minor children | AED 10,000 | AED 15,000 |
| Guardianship Will | Guardians for minor children only | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
| Property Will | Up to five real estate properties in the UAE | AED 7,500 | AED 10,000 |
| Business Owners Will | Shareholdings in up to five UAE companies | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
| Financial Assets Will | Up to ten UAE bank or brokerage accounts | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
| Digital Assets Will | Digital assets | AED 5,000 | AED 7,500 |
Mirror wills are for married couples who register together. Each spouse has a separate will, but both are signed in one appointment. The Property, Business Owners and Financial Assets wills use an online template. The Full Will can use a template too, if you do not need special conditions.
What a Dubai Will for Expats Costs
The registration fee is only part of the cost of a Dubai will for expats. The FAQ states that these fees are paid directly to the Wills Service and are separate from what a lawyer charges. It also states that DIFC Courts will registration fees are not subject to the 5% VAT.
A few other published figures are worth knowing before you book:
- Modification: AED 550 per will. The DIFC Courts does not accept codicils, so any change is a new will.
- Withdrawal: no fee.
- Grant of Probate: USD 1,500 when the estate is later administered.
- Booking fee: deductible from the service fee, but non-refundable if you cancel, or reschedule more than three times, or to a date more than 90 days away.
For a buyer who has just paid the fees in the true cost of buying property in Dubai, a one-off registration cost is small next to the asset it protects.
Protecting Property: Full Will or Property Will
For most property owners, a Dubai will for expats means choosing between a Full Will and a Property Will. The difference matters.
A Full Will covers all movable and immovable assets in the jurisdiction stated in the will, as at your date of death. If you buy or sell later, you do not need to amend it. A Property Will covers only the properties listed when you register. If you buy another unit, you must register a new will.
Buying off plan? For a Property Will, an off-plan unit can be included if you hold the Oqood certificate issued by RERA. For a Full Will, proof of ownership is not required at registration.
A Dubai will for expats can also cover assets outside the UAE, but only a Full Will, and only subject to the laws of the country where the assets sit. The DIFC Courts urges you to take advice on whether it can be enforced there.
Investors with residency linked to property should plan the same way. Our guide to Dubai Golden Visa through property investment explains how the visa and the asset connect. The will decides what happens to the asset itself.
Guardianship for Your Children
For many families this is the strongest reason to make a Dubai will for expats. A Full Will or a Guardianship Will lets you appoint interim and permanent guardians for minor children. The Full Will form refers to children residing in the Emirates of Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah.
A Guardianship Will is the cheaper option if your only aim is naming guardians. If you also want to direct your assets, choose a Full Will instead.
Ask your chosen guardians first, and name a back-up. Executors and guardians can live abroad, so the choice is about trust, not geography.
How Registration Works
There are two stages: preparing the will and registering it. A typical route looks like this:
- Decide which type of will fits your assets and family.
- Prepare the will yourself, use an online template, or instruct a registered Wills Draftsman.
- Book a registration appointment and pay the fee online by card, or choose offline payment (you then have three days to pay).
- Attend the virtual appointment with two witnesses who meet the conditions above.
The Wills Service is a public body and cannot draft your will or give legal advice. It keeps a register of Wills Draftsmen, and it will not accept wills from lawyers who are not on that register. A will that misses the minimum requirements cannot be registered.
Mistakes to Avoid with a Dubai Will for Expats
These are the points the DIFC Courts itself flags. Each one can undo your plan.
- Relying on an old will. A will notarised in the UAE or abroad under another regime generally does not meet the DIFC Rules. It needs to be re-drafted and registered.
- Signing a second will carelessly. You may make another will in another country, but if it is not correctly drafted it could invalidate your registered DIFC will.
- Forgetting life events. Marriage revokes a will unless the will states the intent to marry that person. Divorce treats your former spouse as having died for gifts and appointments.
Founders and Business Owners
If you own shares in a UAE company, a Dubai will for expats can take the form of a Business Owners Will, which covers shareholdings in up to five companies. A Full Will covers all your UAE assets as at death. Neither replaces good company records. Ask your adviser how your company’s constitutional documents interact with your will.
Founders weighing a move should also read our guide to residency options for founders in the UAE. If a business is winding down, how to close a company in the UAE shows what closure involves. A will does not change either process.
What Happens After Death
When the maker of a Dubai will for expats dies, the DIFC Courts issues Probate Orders and Guardianship Orders where needed. It also hears claims and objections that arise during probate. The 2017 statement explains that DIFC Courts orders are executed through the Dubai Courts, using a process that, by 2017, had been used for more than 100 orders.
Keep your documents current, and tell your executors where to find them.
Limits of this article. It covers the DIFC Courts Wills Service for non-Muslims only. Other routes exist, including other courts and other emirates, and they have their own rules and fees. Fees and rules change, so confirm them on the DIFC Courts services page and take legal advice from a registered Wills Draftsman before you register.
FAQ
Do expats need a will in Dubai?
The law does not force you to make one, but a registered will is the way to choose who receives your UAE assets. The DIFC Courts says that without a registered will, transferring assets to loved ones is time-consuming and legally complex. A Dubai will for expats removes that uncertainty for the assets it covers.
Who can register a DIFC will?
You must be non-Muslim and have never been Muslim, be at least 18, and own assets in the UAE or have minor children living with you in the UAE. You do not need to be a UAE resident or hold a UAE visa, and registration can take place by virtual appointment.
How much does a DIFC will cost?
The DIFC Courts fee schedule lists AED 10,000 for a single Full Will and AED 15,000 for mirror wills. A Guardianship Will is AED 5,000, or AED 7,500 for mirror wills. Fees are paid to the Wills Service, are not subject to VAT, and exclude any fee your lawyer charges.
Does a will from my home country work in Dubai?
Not automatically. The DIFC Courts says a will drafted under another regime generally does not meet its Rules and would need to be re-drafted and registered. It also warns that a badly drafted second will can invalidate the registered one, so take legal advice before signing anything.
Does marriage or divorce change my DIFC will?
Yes. Under the DIFC Rules, marriage revokes a will unless the will clearly states the intention to marry that person. After a divorce, gifts and appointments to the former spouse are treated as if they had died on the date of the divorce. Review your will after either event.
Do I need a lawyer to register a DIFC will?
No, a lawyer is not mandatory. You may draft your own will or use an online template where one applies. The Wills Service cannot give legal advice, and it accepts wills prepared by lawyers only if they are registered Wills Draftsmen. For anything beyond a simple estate, advice is strongly recommended.
Your Next Step
List your UAE assets, name your guardians and executors, and decide which Dubai will for expats fits. Then speak to a registered Wills Draftsman. If you hold property or a company here and want help thinking through the wider picture, you can contact us and we will go through it with you. We do not give legal advice, but we can help you prepare the right questions.
