Will drafting in the UAE: what to prepare before you start

Start with your circumstances, not a template

Preparing a Will begins with understanding your family and the property you want it to cover. A document copied from the internet may not fit the registration route available to you, or work alongside a Will you already have in another country.

Tell your adviser your nationality, religion, place of residence and where your assets are held. These details help identify the applicable framework and registration options. The DIFC Courts Wills Service is a route for eligible non-Muslims; it is not a universal route for every UAE resident. Ask for an eligibility assessment before commissioning a draft.

Make a clear inventory of your assets

Prepare an outline rather than sending every original document at the outset. Identify what you own personally, what is jointly owned and what belongs to a company. A Will should not assume that assets held by a business are your personal property.

Include assets outside the UAE in the discussion even if this Will is intended only for UAE assets. Your adviser needs to check whether a new document could conflict with, or revoke, an existing foreign Will.

• Property locations and ownership details
• Bank accounts and investments, listed by country
• Business interests and shareholdings
• Existing Wills and relevant agreements
• Significant liabilities and assets with separate beneficiary nominations

Choose beneficiaries, executors and guardians thoughtfully

Beneficiaries are the people or organisations you want to benefit. An executor is the person you nominate to handle the estate. Consider alternatives if your first choice cannot act, and check names and identification details carefully.

If you have minor children, discuss guardianship wishes separately from gifts of property. A nomination is not a promise that a particular arrangement will automatically take effect: the applicable law and court process still matter. Ask how temporary care, long-term guardianship and the practical location of your chosen guardian should be addressed.

Keep drafting, signing and registration distinct

A completed draft is not the same as a registered Will. Confirm the authority, the form of document it accepts, any language requirements and the signing or witnessing process before you sign. Use the authority’s current instructions rather than relying on someone else’s previous experience.

Request a written breakdown distinguishing professional preparation fees from authority charges, translation and any other third-party work. Ask what assistance is included and what happens if the authority requests a correction. Avoid making irreversible decisions based on an assumed total cost or guaranteed registration date.

Review your plan when life changes

Keep the registered document and its reference details somewhere your executor can locate. Ask how amendments and revocation must be handled through your chosen route; handwritten changes to a signed document may not be effective.

Revisit the plan after marriage, divorce, a birth, a death or a significant change in assets. Bring your existing documents to a consultation so any replacement can be coordinated, rather than creating competing instructions.