For couples and families
Mirror wills: two coordinated wills for couples in the UAE
Mirror wills are two separate documents, one for each partner, written to reflect each other. They are not a single joint will, and they are not necessarily binding mutual wills. Done carefully, they give a couple a shared plan while each person keeps their own will.
How mirror wills actually work
Typically each spouse leaves their estate to the other, and if the other has died, to the same alternative beneficiaries, often the children. Because each will is separate, either person can usually change their own will later. If you want a stronger commitment, that is a different arrangement with its own consequences and needs specific advice.
Each will must be eligible in its own right. Couples registering with the DIFC Courts wills service or the ADJD civil will route each need to meet that route's requirements, which differ (see the DIFC Courts FAQ and ADJD FAQs).
What a careful pair of mirror wills addresses
Each spouse's estate
Who owns what matters. Jointly and individually held UAE assets are mapped for each person separately.
Alternative beneficiaries
Who inherits if your spouse dies first, or at the same time, so the plan does not stop at the first gift.
Survivorship
Clauses for situations where both partners die close together, so the order of deaths does not produce an unintended result.
Executors and guardians
Consistent choices for both wills, subject to the law and rules that apply to your chosen route.
Review after life changes
Marriage, separation, a new child, a move abroad or a new property are moments to revisit both wills together.
Working with both of you
We advise each spouse as an individual, while keeping the plan coordinated.
- Joint consultationWe confirm eligibility for each partner and discuss shared goals.
- Written quoteFees for both wills are set out in writing.
- Drafting two willsTwo documents, reviewed with each of you.
- Execution and registrationThrough the appropriate UAE route for each spouse.
Fees, explained in writing
Before any work begins you receive a written professional quote for our legal fees. Separately, the registering authority charges its own fees, and translation, VAT or other charges may apply depending on your circumstances. We do not publish fixed figures here because they depend on the will type and the authority's current schedule.
Questions families ask
Is a mirror will the same as a joint will?
No. Mirror wills are two separate documents, one for each person, with matching provisions. A joint will is a single document, which is a different thing.
Can my spouse change their mirror will later?
Generally each person can change their own will, because mirror wills are not necessarily binding mutual wills. We explain the position for your situation.
Do we both need to be eligible for the same route?
Each will must meet the requirements of the route used for it. Eligibility is checked for each spouse individually.
What happens if we die at the same time?
Survivorship and alternative beneficiary clauses are drafted to deal with this, so your estates pass as you intend.
Related UAE will services
Plan your mirror wills together
Book a consultation for both of you. We check each spouse's eligibility and give you a written quote for both wills.
Planning together? Explore the Expat Will Guide for practical articles on choosing a UAE Will route, guardianship and coordinating your family's estate plans.
General information, not personal legal advice. This page summarises publicly available guidance as we understand it and may not reflect later changes to rules, forms or fees. Eligibility, scope and the effect of any will depend on your circumstances and the authority's review. Speak with a lawyer before acting. Completing an online questionnaire alone does not create an executed or registered will.