A few years ago, the idea of registering a legally enforceable UAE will without visiting a lawyer's office or a government building would have seemed impossible. Today, with OwnX, it is not only possible, it is the default.
Here's what a fully online UAE will registration looks like, and why it changes everything for expats.
The Old Way, And Why It Was Broken
Traditionally, getting a UAE will registered meant:
- Multiple in-person meetings with a UAE law firm
- Weeks of back-and-forth on draft documents
- Separate appointments for Arabic translation and notarisation
- A physical appearance at the registration authority with original documents
- Fees ranging from AED 5,000 to AED 15,000+
- A process that could take 4–8 weeks from start to finish
For a busy expat, or someone who has already left the UAE but still owns assets there, this was a genuine barrier. Many people put it off indefinitely. That's a problem, because an unregistered will is an unprotected family.
The OwnX Way, Entirely Online
OwnX has rebuilt the UAE will registration process around modern technology and the ADJD's own digital infrastructure:
- Complete a structured questionnaire online in 15–25 minutes
- OwnX prepares the English draft and shares it in your secure account
- Request any amendments, revised draft returned promptly
- OwnX arranges a court-certified Arabic translation (stamped by an approved legal translator)
- Sign the bilingual will electronically in your OwnX account
- You upload the signed will directly to the ADJD court portal
- Court contacts you for payment and schedules a video verification call
- Will registered, typically the next working day after the call
The Video Verification Call, What to Expect
The video verification call is the only step that requires your live participation, and it is conducted by the ADJD court, not OwnX. It typically lasts 10–15 minutes. The court official will:
- Verify your identity against your passport
- Confirm you are making the will freely and understand its contents
- Ask basic questions about your beneficiaries and executor
- Record the verification
The call can be done from anywhere in the world, your home, your office, or even while travelling. You simply need a stable internet connection and your passport.
Who Can Use This Service?
- UAE residents, complete the entire process without taking time off work
- Non-residents with UAE assets, register without travelling to the UAE
- British, American, Indian, and other expats who have relocated but retain UAE assets
- Couples, both partners verified on a single video call for mirror wills
Start your UAE will online today. No office. No lawyer. No travel. Registered and enforceable from AED 749.
Start Your Will
Aanchal Adhikari (Advocate, LL.B., LL.M. (Cand.))
Senior Specialist & UAE Estate Planning Advocate
Aanchal Adhikari is a Nepal-licensed Advocate with 4+ years of legal practice, specialized in ADJD Wills, DIFC wills, and UAE inheritance. She has drafted and overseen 800+ ADJD Wills in the UAE and is currently pursuing an LL.M. at Middlesex University Dubai.
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