UAE is a choice for most of the expatriates for settling with their families and build a secure life. Most of the non-Muslim expatriates forget an important aspect while their tenure here in the country is Preparing a Will in Dubai.
An unfortunate incident occurred could prevent our hard-earned assets to not pass to the rightful owners due to the unavailability of a Will. Thus, to ensure the properties and assets are distributed according to your wishes, having a will in place is crucial.
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Writing a will in Dubai is a legal matter and seasoned business consultants such as Aurion will be the right choice for Assistance. Our team of expert Business Consultants will assist you throughout and beyond the Will Registration process in Dubai.
What if you don’t have a Will in Dubai?
UAE has a law of inheritance and in case of absence of a will, the asset distribution will be as per the law and the guardianship of the children under 21 years of age would also go to the one you specify.
Even people who don’t have assets can use the will and appoint guardians to take care of their children in their absence.
Making a Will in Dubai for non-Muslims
Any non-Muslim person above 21 years and has children below 21 years or owns assets in Dubai -movable or immovable ones could make a will.
Will Registration in Dubai is mainly governed by the following two legal authorities.
- Dubai Courts
- DIFC Wills and Probate Registry (DIFC Wills Service Centre)
At the DIFC Wills Service Center, the Wills are written in English while in Dubai Courts, it is bilingual (English & Arabic). It only caters to non-Muslims.
Will registration or Will writing is best done with the legal assistance of a Business Consultant who is specialized in the field.
Aurion offers exclusive Will Writing Service support for DIFC as well as Dubai Courts. Our expert Consultants will walk you through the process and assist in Will Writing and Will Registration in Dubai.
3 Steps involved in making a Will in Dubai
The following are the required steps for creating a will in Dubai for ex-pats who are non-Muslims.
1. Drafting the Will
Ensure that expert consultants are assisting you with the will writing. Be aware of the legal terms and will registration process and how the wills are implemented in Dubai.
Drafting a full Will in Dubai for non-Muslims will include guardianship of all your assets to the beneficiary at the instance of any unfortunate event.
2. Legal Translation of the Will
The Will for non-Muslims to be registered have to be translated into Arabic before submitting to the Dubai Courts.
Hence, ensure all the details are proof-read and understood by you and proceed with the legal translation and submission to the Dubai Courts.
3. Registering the Will
The final step is to have the Will registered in either the Dubai Courts or the DIFC Wills Service Centre.
How is a Will Implemented in Dubai?
The general process in the UAE after an unfortunate incident is the bank accounts (including joint accounts) will be at freeze. At the event of a Will in place, the bank account could be activated through an easy process.
A succession certificate has to be obtained from the Dubai Courts which has the beneficiary details of inheritance of the movable and immovable assets as per the will registered prior.
The will also entrust the guardian the custody of the children, and an appointed executor will distribute the assets to the beneficiaries accordingly as well as settle all the liabilities of the owner of the will.
3 Most Common Patterns Followed in Wills in Dubai
The requirements for writing a will for non-Muslims in Dubai is varying. Most of the case, it would either distribution of the estate and appointing executors and guardians.
1. Distribution of UAE Estate
The pattern of distribution of UAE Estate to the beneficiaries are mostly the following way:
- First beneficiary (Spouse) -100% ownership of the estate
- Alternate beneficiaries (if Spouse is not surviving) – 100% of the estate divided equally among the children
- Further Layers ( if Spouse is not surviving & no children) – 100% of the estate divided among relatives/friends
2. Appointment of Guardians
Children below the age of 21 years are considered minors in the UAE. The guardianship of the children usually follows the below pattern
- The first choice of permanent guardian – Spouse
- Alternate permanent Guardian – Any close family member
- Further Layers – Parents/brothers/sisters of the will owner
3. Appointment of Executors
The will owner can appoint the desired executor for the timely distribution of the estate to the beneficiaries.
The executors commonly preferred by the married individuals in their UAE Wills are:
- First Choice for Executor – Spouse
- Alternate Executor – Any close family member who has the practical know-how of the legal system and distribution of assets as per the Will rightfully.
- Further Layers – Any close family member or friend
Importance of Will Registration learned in UAE from COVID-19
The pandemic has taken the whole world by storm, the outlook toward life, work, living, health, future has all changed. Wills and estate planning has received unprecedented attention across the world during the COVID-19.
Even in UAE, the importance of securing your estate at times of unfortunate incident is more thought after by residents for securing their future and loved ones.
To know more about writing the Will in Dubai for non-Muslims or Will registration in the UAE, talk to our expert business consultants right away!
