Advice on Wills Preparation in the UAE | ExpatWoman.com
 

Advice on Wills Preparation in the UAE

Alderson and Associates helps give accurate advice and prepare Wills for expatriates.

Posted on

7 June 2017

Last updated on 14 May 2018
Advice on Wills Preparation in the UAE
Are you an expatriate living in Abu Dhabi seeking advice on preparing your will? 

Alderson and Associates have been the longest established Legal Consultancy practice in the UAE to give accurate advice and prepare Wills for expatriates. We are also able to prepare Wills for Muslim citizens but there are very specific criteria surrounding the level of benefit that can be given to those that you leave behind in a Muslim environment.

It is important to recognise that the laws of the UAE are based primarily upon Shariah Law.

As well as the introduction of the codified system of law established in the Napoleonic Era in Egypt. The UAE has a codified system that incorporates both elements.

SEE ALSO: Arbitration Expert in the UAE

Notwithstanding, Wills are capable of being prepared that will do their utmost to protect you as a foreigner or non-Muslim citizen and under UAE laws you are entitled to elect to use the laws of your home country for such purposes. 
 

One matter that always needs to be considered, however, is that the Courts of the UAE are the only forum for an actual determination of inheritance matters even where there is a Will. A Succession Certificate must be obtained from the Courts (and not any other Body) for the purposes of enforcing the way in which your Will dictates that your asset should be distributed. Much has been said in recent years that the Courts do not need to become involved in such matters. This is simply untrue. Before having a Will prepared for you, please ensure that you check out the validity of such statements because, for example, a transfer of property from a Testator (the person who has died) to a Beneficiary (the person who is to receive that asset upon death) cannot be concluded without the appropriate Court sanctions and judgments. Developers will not accept anything other than a Court Judgment. 

SEE ALSO: Helpful Advice and Guidance on Divorce in the UAE


At Alderson & Associates, we offer a Legal Clinic every Wednesday morning for one hour. This is a free Consultation but this amount of time will give you invaluable advice, based on your personal set of circumstances. If you have any papers that we need to see, bring them with you. Obviously, the more information you can give to us beforehand, the better and concise the advice will be for your free hour.
 
You can always send a mail, setting out your circumstances and questions to [email protected] before the meeting which will then give more time for us to give you that initial advice.

We are here to help so take proper legal advice first.