For the vast majority of expats in the UAE, what happens after death has not been thought through. It's an uncomfortable topic, but ignoring it can leave your family in a genuinely difficult position, financially and legally, during what is already the hardest period of their lives.
The Immediate Impact: Account Freezes
The moment a UAE bank receives a death certificate, it is legally required to freeze all accounts in the deceased's name. This includes savings accounts, salary accounts, and often joint accounts. No withdrawals can be made, not even for funeral costs or rent.
Account freezes happen immediately upon death notification, regardless of the balance or the urgency of the family's needs.
UAE Inheritance Law for Non-Muslims
For non-Muslims who die without a registered UAE will, UAE courts apply Sharia principles of inheritance to UAE-based assets. This is regardless of your nationality, your religion, or what your home country's law would say.
Under Sharia inheritance rules: a surviving spouse receives one-eighth of the estate if there are children, or one-quarter if there are no children. Sons typically receive double the share of daughters. Parents and siblings may also receive fixed shares. Anything left over (after fixed shares) is distributed among the same group.
The Court Process
Unlocking a frozen estate without a will requires going through UAE probate courts. This process typically takes 12 to 18 months. It requires legal representation in the UAE, certified translations of all documents, and repeated court appearances. The legal fees alone can run to tens of thousands of dirhams.
The Solution Is Straightforward
A registered UAE will, ADJD or DIFC, means your estate can be distributed according to your wishes, quickly and without court intervention. It is one of the most important documents you can have as a UAE resident.
OwnX will drafting and certified translation starts at AED 749, with documents prepared for ADJD registration.
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.
View full profile & all articles →