Questions & Answers
Questions & Answers
3 available 3 • View allProperty inheritance and closure of business without a will

2
Q: PROPERTY INHERITANCE
Property Inheritance (without a will) and closure of business including recovery and debt payments.
I am an Indian. My husband, 44yrs, passed away on 11 Jan leaving behind a business (sole proprietor) that needs to be wound up and a house with a mortgage in his name.
The house is currently rented with a tenancy contract ending 31st March 2021.
Questions:
1) I want the ownership of the property. How do I do so without applying Sharia law?
2) Can we continue the tenancy contract till the title deed is transferred to my name?
Closure of business
My husband was running 2 garages under a PROFESSIONAL license as a sole proprietor with payables and receivables overdue; including employees, landlord, and suppliers as well as business loan and credit card debts, etc.
1. Will his liabilities affect my property ownership?
2. Can I get legal help to sell his business/legal license to pay employees and creditors with the help of his sponsor?
What are my rights?


Jan 26, 2021
361
Are wills made in India for Indian properties valid in the UAE?
1
Q: A will was made in India for an Indian property. The will states that "all other properties acquired hereafter should go to my wife".
There was no will made in Dubai for the Dubai house. My husband (non-Muslim) passed away in Dubai.
Can I apply this Indian will for a property in Dubai which was acquired by my husband before his death?
Will the Sharia court accept this will or reject it saying that it is only for Indian properties?
Are wills made in India for Indian properties valid in Dubai?
Appreciate your answer in this regard!

Dec 11, 2020
1060
The required documents and procedure to transfer late father's property
1
Q: Hi,
My father, who is an Egyptian Moslem and never was a resident of the UAE, has 4 properties in unfinished developments in Dubai who he was paying instalments on.
We (the heirs - myself, my two sisters, and my mother) would like to transfer the properties in our names so we can continue to pay the instalments.
I understand we need to file a case at the Personal Status Court to obtain a court order and give it to the Dubai Land Department to update their records based on the Dubai Court Order.
I have the following documents:
- Father's death certificate attested by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and UAE embassy in Cairo.
- Inheritance certificate stating that we are the legal heirs attested from the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and UAE consulate.
- General PoA from my sisters and mom to myself attested from Egyptian Foreign Ministry and UAE consulate.
- Passport copies of all of us including my dad.
- Contracts for properties from developer.
Do I need anything else?

May 15, 2021
334
Legal blog
3 available 3 • View allWhy Is It Important for Non-Muslim Expats to Have a WILL in the UAE? 8
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.
Nov 25, 2019
2003
Alternatives to the Sharia Inheritance Law in the UAE 9
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.
Jun 13, 2019
3743
Personal Status Law for Non-Muslim Foreigners in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi 8
A new civil personal status decree has been introduced in the emirate of Abu Dhabi by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. This personal status decree will be applicable for non-Muslim foreigners based in Abu Dhabi in matters of marriage, divorce, Will, inheritance, and custody of children.
Nov 9, 2021
2575
Laws & Regulations
1 available 1 • View allFederal Law No. (28) of 2005 On Personal Status 24
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.
Nov 19, 2005
49131

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My husband sold the house we bought jointlyand took a cheque plus 1-year instalments from me. What can I do? 0
Hi,
I am a non-Muslim indian expatriate, residing in Dubai since 2015. The first 5 years, I was on a working visa, and after the delivery of my first baby, I left my job and became dependent on my husband.
In 2018, we bought a house together where I invested AED 2 hundred thousand from my income (I have proof in the form of a cheque). I also paid AED 3300 monthly installment for 1 year, for a personal loan taken out for the house.
But in spite of my resistance, my husband tactfully put the house in his name, so the title deed was in his name. In 2024, when my kids and I were in India for vacation, he cancelled our visas and residency. He also filed for a divorce in India.
The divorce is not yet finalised, and we are still married. Since August 2024, he hasn't let me access my house in Dubai, so I filed a case, which eventually went in my favor in January 2025.
Since I used to travel on a visit visa, I left for India and returned in March, to find out that my husband had already sold the house. The new owner is residing there.
What can I do now?
Help!
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Hello,
How can I be exempted from paying the 5% court fee, and where should I go to apply?
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Can we claim and sell a liquidated customer’s goods to recover debts through Dubai Courts? 1
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I purchased an apartment, but the previous landlord refuses to vacate. What to do? 1
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I bought an apartment, but the previous landlord is refusing to vacate it. The contract clearly states that the landlord should hand over the apartment on the day of the transfer.
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My hair was damaged by a very known and professional salon. Can I seek refund and compensation? 0
Hello.
I went to a very well-known and professional salon (or so I thought) for a normal hair dye. The guy who did my hair left the dye on my hair for over an hour when it was supposed to be on for a maximum of 30 minutes.
He wasn’t paying attention to me walking around the store talking to everyone and also doing another customer's extensions.
Now my hair is potentially damaged, my skull burns, and is flaky (meaning the dye wasn’t ammonia-free which is extremely unprofessional for such an expensive salon).
I didn’t even get the outcome that I wanted and the dye color doesn’t even show. I talked to him about it but he shut it down so fast and gaslit me the whole time and made me feel like I was the wrong one and I was ‘complaining about something so light’.
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What legal action can a company take to recover an amount from a non-paying customer? 0
Hello,
We are a building materials trading company based in the UAE. We supplied materials worth AED 50,000 to a customer around 8 months ago, but despite repeated follow-ups and reminders, no payment has been made to date.
We would appreciate guidance on the following:
1. What legal action can we take to recover the amount?
2. What documents should we have ready (e.g., delivery notes, invoice, emails)?
3. How long does the legal process typically take in the UAE for such cases?
4. Is there a recommended timeline or deadline after which legal steps should be initiated?
Thank you in advance for your advice!
Apr 25, 2025
55
هل يسجل الطفل قانونياً بالإمارات في حال كان الفرق بين عقد الزواج الشرعي والولادة تقريباً 166 يوم أقل من 6 أشهر؟ 0
السلام عليكم
هل يسجل الطفل قانونياً بالإمارات (أب إماراتي يحمل جواز من الشارقة ، أم وافدة) في حال كان الفرق بين عقد الزواج الشرعي والولادة تقريباً 166 يوم أقل من 6 أشهر؟
هل يمنع من استخراج شهاده ميلاد؟ وما هي الإجراءات والعقوبات المتوقعة؟
مع العلم بأن الأب معترف بالطفل قبل الزواج وبعده.
شكراً
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After closing the company, can an investor stay in the UAE until the residence visa expires? 0
Hello,
An investor has a residence visa valid until February 2027; however, he wishes to close the company before the current license expires in December 2025.
Can the investor still legally reside in the UAE until the residence visa expires?
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Despite a waiver, the case is still with the public prosecution. Can I travel? 0
Hello,
I had a case regarding fraud by technical means, and we did a tanazul.
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What do I do now, as I need to travel urgently?
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How can I register a complaint against my employer for holding my passport after visa cancellation? 0
My new employer is not changing my visa status and refuses to provide cancellation papers, especially when I don’t recall signing any cancellation documents and haven’t received my gratuity yet.
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I had completed my one-month notice period and followed all procedures properly when I resigned. I'm currently working in a free zone company.
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I received a judgment in my favor from RDC that awarded me legal fees. Does this include lawyer fees? 0
I have received a judgment in my favor from RDC that awarded me legal fees.
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The public prosecution appealed a judgment to increase the fine I already paid. What do I do now? 0
Good afternoon,
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Can we give a salary certificate to a new hired employee before he starts to open a bank account? 0
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I received a termination letter from my company for restructuring. Is this considered arbitrary dismissal? 0
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Do I need to hire a lawyer if I found I have a marital case against me in the court? 1
By checking in Al Adheed, I have found there is a marital matter case against me in Dubai Courts. There is a hearing date for next week and the time mentioned in the case status with a link for an online hearing.
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