Q: I am thinking to obtain the DIFC Will with my husband but I heard that it is pointless. Is this true? Will this document have effect in the Emirates? Thank you in advance.  

Q: I have a flat in Dubai but live in the UK. How do I ensure it gets passed to my children should anything happen to me?

Q: What is the process for registering a Will in the UAE courts for non-muslim expats? Also, what is the process for execution of the Will?

Q: I am an Indian citizen (Hindu religion) living in Dubai for the last 2 years. I have purchased a flat in Dubai. I have a wife and a 1-year-old son living with me in Dubai. Do I need to make a Will?

Q: Hello, I am a Chinese national who came to Dubai for my father's inheritance case after his passing earlier this year. My father owned 2 LLC companies with the same local sponsor, one of which he had a 49% share and the other 25%. I wanted to inherit the shares and exit the companies but was told there's nothing for me and my family to inherit. One of the companies is more than 20 years old and the sponsor refuses to show me financial statements for these companies. What can I do, please?

Q: I am a UAE citizen. My son passed away. I have no other children and I am divorced. I only have one granddaughter who is American/Canadian. I also have 2 brothers and 2 sisters and a mother. Under Islamic law, will she inherit me? If not, can I put a will in place for her to get my entire inheritance whilst still abiding with Islamic law? Thank you for your time!

Q: A transmission to ultimate beneficiaries seems to be technically defective from the wording of the deceased's Will. The Shares of the Deceased should have been transmitted to 3 Trustees including the living spouse of the deceased but instead, they were transmitted to the ultimate beneficiaries named in the Will (including 2 of the Trustees but excluding the living spouse of the Deceased), which transmission would take place only upon the death of the living spouse. My question here is, can the defective Transmission be revoked and rescinded by the Board of Directors & the entries in the Register Of Members kept at Companies Commission be reversed back accordingly? Instead of going through a formal Transfer of Shares to reverse the transaction. Thereafter, a proper and correct transmission is to be done, transmitting the Deceased's shares to the 3 Trustees as stated in the Deceased's Will. Would appreciate advice on this matter. Thank you

س: السلام عليكم، لدي سؤال أرجو من حضراتكم الإجابة عليه. ماذا يحدث لأسهم مملوكة لمُساهِم مُتوفى في شركة ذات مسؤولية محدودة؟

In 2016, Dubai introduced an exceptionally unique solution to entertain basic asset protection needs to Foreign Investors and Expat Residents living in Dubai. They can now be 100% sure their assets are fully protected against any problems that may arise because of the forced heirship system applied by the Sharia Regulations in the United Arab Emirates, or any other conflict between the religious laws of succession between the person and the state where he lives and invests.

The United Arab Emirates is a Sharia-Law country with respect to personal status and inheritance. In accordance with the UAE legislation, the UAE Courts will adhere to Sharia Law in a situation where there is no proper Will in place.

Do you have assets in the UAE? Have you made a will yet? It is highly recommended to register a will soon, otherwise, the drive to asset disbursement can be extensive and expensive. In addition to the option of registering a will in DIFC for Non-Muslim will registration, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) had also introduced a separate office since August 2017, which has made the entire will registration process easier and cost-effective.

The article states the currently available options on how to set up a Will in the UAE. The expatriate (non-Muslim) testator has several options on how to protect the assets in the UAE and how to appoint guardians for the minor child(ren) habitually residing in the Emirates.

An interview-format article covering reasons why a non-Muslim expatriate should have a will in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW. Ludmila sheds light in this article on the right time and place to start the procedure based on tested practices in the UAE.

An interview-format article covering the topic of legal proceedings during COVID-19 in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

The last Will or the testament has been regulated by all the modern and ancient laws worldwide, as an expression of wishes of any person to some actions and decisions that should be taken, and instructions to be followed after their death - either concerning their assets and how it should be distributed or concerning important decisions towards the well-being and future of their minor children.

UAE Personal Status Law (also known as Personal Affairs Law) governs marriage, divorce, inheritance and other personal affairs in the United Arab Emirates. The law equally applies to citizens of the UAE and non-citizens unless one of them asks for the application of his home country law.