DIFC will

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) has its own English-language, common-law courts, and since 2015 they have run a wills service for non-Muslims. A will registered there is recognised by the DIFC Courts, which grant probate on the owner's death; their order is then used to transfer property at the land department. The person making the will must be a non-Muslim aged at least 21 and need not live in the UAE. Registration can be done by video link.

Several types exist. A property will, limited to named real estate, is the usual choice for an overseas investor; a full will covers all assets and guardianship of children.

Why consider one. Without a registered will, a foreign owner's UAE property passes under UAE inheritance rules after a local court process. For non-Muslims, federal law has since 2023 provided default rules that divide the estate between a spouse and children, but these may not match your wishes, and assets can be frozen while the court decides. A will from home can be relied on only after translation, attestation and a slower court route.

Points to check with a lawyer:

• the current registration fee, which depends on the type of will
• that the will covers the emirate where your property is; the Abu Dhabi courts run a separate registry for non-Muslim wills
• how the will fits with your will at home, so that neither revokes the other by accident

A UAE will does not change UK inheritance tax exposure.