Expat Will Guide

Planning a UAE will as an expat, explained step by step

Independent-minded explainers from Aramas International Lawyers on how non-Muslim expatriates in the UAE approach wills: choosing between the DIFC Courts and the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, naming guardians, appointing executors and keeping a will current as life changes.

Browse the guidesFind your will route
Orientation

Which will route are you looking at?

Each route has its own eligibility rules and registry process. These service pages are available now, whichever guides have been published so far.

ADJD non-Muslim civil willAbu Dhabi Judicial Department request, review, fees and video appointment.DIFC Courts willFull, Guardianship, Property, Business Owners and Financial Assets wills.Mirror wills for couplesTwo separate, coordinated wills for spouses or partners.Make your will onlineHow the questionnaire feeds into lawyer-led drafting and registration.
Library

Published guides

Newest first. Each guide lists its official sources and the date it was issued.

  1. Getting started UAE Expat Wills: ADJD vs DIFC and Where to Start A starter guide for non-Muslim expats in the UAE: why a will matters, how the ADJD and DIFC Courts routes differ, and the first practical steps to take. · 6 min read
Editorial calendar

Coming next

Upcoming titles in the weekly series. Topics only; full guides appear here on their release date.

  1. ADJD wills

    ADJD Wills for Expats: Eligibility, Documents and Registration

  2. DIFC wills

    DIFC Wills Guide: Types, Eligibility and Registration

  3. Children and guardianship

    Guardianship Wills in the UAE: A Parents' Planning Guide

  4. Couples

    Mirror Wills in the UAE: A Guide for Expat Couples

  5. Executors

    Choosing an Executor for Your UAE Will

  6. Assets

    UAE Will Asset Checklist: Property, Accounts and Business Interests

  7. Reviewing your will

    Updating a UAE Will After Marriage, Children or Moving

New guides are scheduled for Wednesdays at 09:00 UAE time. Titles and dates may change before publication. Until a guide is live, the related service page covers the essentials.

Reading is a start. Your family's will needs specifics.

A consultation confirms which route you are eligible for, what your will should cover and what registry fees, translations or VAT may apply alongside a written professional quote.

Book a consultationStart the will questionnaire

General information, not personal legal advice. The Expat Will Guide summarises publicly available guidance as we understand it on the issue date shown. Rules, forms, eligibility criteria and fees can change after publication, and the effect of any will depends on your circumstances and the relevant authority's review. Guides are editorial publications and are not individually reviewed for your situation. Speak with a lawyer before acting. Completing an online questionnaire alone does not create an executed or registered will.