Frequently asked questions
Everything people ask us before starting a UAE civil will. If yours is not here, start your will and we will flag anything unusual as you go.
Who can make a civil will in the UAE?
Non-GCC nationals aged 21 or over with assets or family in the UAE. If you hold a GCC passport the civil will framework does not apply to you, and we will point you to a partner law firm for Sharia-compliant planning rather than sell you something that will not work.
What does it cost in total?
Our fee is shown in full on the pricing page. A single will is one payment, and when a couple do theirs together the second will costs less than the first. The court then charges its own registration fee, currently AED 950 per will, which you pay directly to the court. We never touch that money, which also means we cannot mark it up.
How long does registration take?
The court sets the pace here, not us. Recent waits from submission to a notarisation appointment have been running into months, and the queue moves around. Your part takes about twenty minutes. The rest is the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department's contribution, and the checklist keeps you moving through each stage rather than wondering what happens next.
Is this legal advice?
No. We are a technology platform that helps you prepare your own will on the official court template and guides you through the public registration process. We do not give legal advice and we do not act on your behalf. If your situation is genuinely complicated, such as business shareholdings or contested family circumstances, we will say so and refer you to a partner law firm.
What happens if I die in the UAE without a will?
Your UAE assets and guardianship of your children may be decided under local default rules rather than your wishes, and bank accounts can be frozen while matters are resolved. A registered will lets you decide who inherits and who cares for your children.
Can my spouse and I do our wills together?
Yes. Joint wills are not permitted here, so a couples session produces two individual wills in one sitting. You enter shared people like guardians once, and we cross-check both wills for the kind of mismatch that is awkward to discover later, such as each of you naming a different guardian for the same children.
Who should I choose as executor?
Your executor collects your assets, pays your debts and distributes what is left. Choose an adult you trust, usually a spouse, plus one or two substitutes in case they cannot act. You cannot name yourself.
What about guardianship of my children?
The template lets you appoint a permanent guardian (with a backup) plus an interim guardian based in the UAE who can step in immediately until the permanent guardian arrives, which matters for expat families whose chosen guardian lives abroad.
Do I list my assets in the will?
No. The official template covers your whole UAE estate without itemising it, so your will does not go stale every time you open or close a bank account. We generate a separate private Asset Inventory for your executor, which is the document that actually needs the account numbers.
Can I change my will later?
Yes. Correcting a detail about someone already named, such as a misspelt guardian or a wrong passport number, is free, always. Substantive changes, such as a new child or a different executor, are included with annual membership. Either way, an updated will only takes effect once you re-register it with the court, and that court fee is yours.
Is my data safe?
Your information sits behind row-level security, encrypted in transit and at rest, with documents stored privately behind expiring links. We never email your will, because it has your passport and Emirates ID inside it. You can download or delete everything from your account at any time. Full detail is in our Privacy Policy.
Do you file the will for me?
No, and that is deliberate. You submit your own application through the official court channel, which keeps your costs down and the will unambiguously yours. Our step-by-step checklist walks you through every screen, with email reminders as you go, and we stay with you until it is stamped.
Can you do a DIFC or ADGM will?
No. We prepare wills for the ADJD route only, using the official bilingual template. DIFC and ADGM have their own documents and requirements. An ADGM will, for example, must be certified by a legal translator licensed by the UAE Ministry of Justice, which is a service we do not provide. If you specifically need DIFC or ADGM, email us at hello@uaeexpatwill.com and we will point you to someone who can help, and let you know if we start offering it ourselves.
Ready when you are
Start your will now. It saves as you go, and you only pay once it is ready.