Primary service · DIFC Courts Wills
Premium Legal helps eligible non-Muslim clients choose, draft and prepare a DIFC Courts Will for registration, with careful review of UAE assets, beneficiaries, executors, guardianship wishes and cross-border considerations.
What the planning must resolve
A DIFC Courts Will records how covered assets should pass after death and can address executors and, in a Full or Guardianship Will, guardianship arrangements for eligible minor children.
If there is no registered Will
The family may need a court-led inheritance process before banks, land authorities and other asset holders can recognise who has authority to act. The applicable law depends on the person, the assets, their location and any valid Will.
An interested person may need to open an inheritance file, prove the death and family relationships, and obtain the decisions needed to identify heirs or appoint an estate representative. The governing law can depend on nationality, asset type and location.
Once a financial institution has evidence of death, account privileges or funds may be restricted until the required estate documents are produced. Dormant balances remain the property of the customer or legal heirs and do not become charitable assets merely because a claim is delayed.
Title transfer or sale after death normally requires inheritance and land-registration steps. An off-plan SPA continues to matter: missed instalments can trigger the applicable DLD notice and default process, not an automatic transfer simply because there is no Will.
Documents, debts, asset holders, translations and disputes affect duration and cost. A Will can clarify instructions and name an executor, but probate or court implementation still applies and no fixed completion period should be promised.
The current UAE Civil Transactions Law treats UAE financial rights belonging to a foreigner who has no heir as a supervised charitable endowment. It does not say that every unclaimed asset transfers to charity because an application was not filed in time.
Asset and family map
The first review is not about filling a template. It is about seeing the full picture before selecting the Will route.
Completed and, where the applicable Will route permits, off-plan property interests.
Accounts, cash and eligible securities held through UAE financial institutions.
UAE business interests, ownership records and the people who should receive them.
Eligible digital holdings and the practical information needed for an executor to identify them.
A drafted Full Will may extend beyond the UAE, but enforceability must be checked in each relevant jurisdiction.
Interim and permanent guardian choices for eligible minor children in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah.
DIFC Courts Will routes
Scope and eligibility differ. Premium Legal reviews the assets and family position before recommending a route.
A broad route for movable and immovable UAE assets. It may include guardianship provisions and, when individually drafted, may extend to assets outside the UAE subject to local enforceability advice.
An online-template route covering up to five UAE real-estate properties identified in the Will.
An online-template route covering up to five shareholdings in UAE companies.
An online-template route covering up to ten eligible UAE bank or brokerage accounts.
A dedicated route for eligible digital assets under the current DIFC Courts Wills Service rules and process.
A guardianship-only route for appointing interim and permanent guardians for eligible minor children.
DIFC Courts states that a Full Will registrant must not be Muslim and must never have been Muslim, must be aged 21 or over, and must have movable or immovable property in the UAE. A UAE visa is not required. Other routes have their own scope and requirements.
Choosing the registration route
The right choice depends on eligibility, assets, guardianship needs, language, the selected authority and the countries where the Will may need to be enforced.
Do not choose from slogans such as “DIFC means automatic worldwide coverage” or “a UAE Will covers completed property only.” Both are oversimplifications. The assets, registry rules and enforcement countries need a specific review.
When a review matters
A tailored review is especially useful when family, ownership or geography adds another layer to the plan.
You own completed or off-plan property in the UAE.
You have children from more than one relationship or a blended family.
You, your spouse or your beneficiaries hold more than one nationality.
Your assets sit across the UAE and other countries.
You own company shares, investment accounts or digital assets.
You need to name interim or permanent guardians for minor children.
From first review to registration
Identify family details, assets, ownership records and relevant countries.
Select the Will route and decide beneficiaries, executors, gifts and guardians.
Prepare or review the Will and supporting information against the current requirements.
Prepare for the DIFC Courts Wills Service appointment and support the registration process.
Preparation checklist
An initial consultation can begin with a simple list. Exact documents depend on the chosen Will type and circumstances.
The exact mandatory documents depend on the chosen Will route and the registry's current requirements. Full Will asset documents are generally optional at registration; a targeted route may require proof for the asset it covers.
DIFC Wills FAQs
These answers are general information, not advice on a specific estate.
DIFC Courts says the testator must not be Muslim and must never have been Muslim, must be at least 21 years old, and must have movable or immovable property in the UAE. UAE residence or a UAE visa is not required. Eligibility and scope should still be checked for the selected Will type.
A drafted Full Will may extend beyond the UAE. DIFC Courts advises testators to obtain legal advice in each relevant country because enforcement outside the UAE is not guaranteed. Existing foreign wills also need a conflict review.
DIFC Courts says off-plan property may be listed in a Property Will when an Oqood certificate is available. A Full Will is broader and does not require proof of property ownership at registration, but the drafting and asset description still require careful review.
No. Guardianship provisions may be included in a Full Will or a Guardianship Will. DIFC Courts states that they are not available in a Property, Business Owners or Financial Assets Will. The proposed guardians must also meet the applicable requirements.
Yes. A registered DIFC Courts Will can be modified through the applicable registration process. A review is sensible after major changes in family circumstances, assets, ownership structures, residence or other wills.
The current DIFC Courts service fee is AED 550 per Will. The updated text is signed and registered as a replacement Will; professional drafting or advisory fees are separate. Check the official fee schedule before proceeding because fees can change.
The family may need a court-led inheritance process before asset holders recognise who can act. The applicable law and procedure depend on the person and the assets. There is no universal completion time, and a delayed application does not by itself transfer the estate to charity.
Official references
Service details can change. DIFC Courts and the UAE legislation portal are the controlling public references for the routes described here.
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