Learn how UAE inheritance laws affect expats, including wills, frozen bank accounts, guardianship, Sharia inheritance rules, and cross-border assets. Discover how proper estate planning can protect your family and ensure your assets are distributed according to your wishes.
Inheritance law in Dubai differs significantly for Muslims and non-Muslims, making proper estate planning essential to protect assets and avoid family disputes. This guide explains the legal framework governing inheritance, the role of inheritance lawyers in drafting wills, probate proceedings, asset distribution, and dispute resolution, as well as the costs involved. It also highlights the risks of dying without a registered will, including frozen bank accounts and delayed asset transfers, while offering practical advice on choosing the right inheritance lawyer to ensure a smooth and legally compliant succession process.
The new personal status law under Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2024 (“New Law”) has been enforced in the UAE since April 15, 2025 and the old family law under Federal decree Law No. 28 of 2005 (“Old Law”) is now officially abrogated.
Although it is easy to obtain information regarding family laws in the UAE, people are generally unaware about the procedural aspects of the family court process. In this article, we will look at the court procedures once a decision is issued by the Court of First Instance in the UAE.
The UAE government has issued a series of changes to its family laws through the recently passed new personal status law, namely Federal Decree Law No. 41 of 2024 on the Issuance of Personal Status.
In the recent years, the UAE has brought about significant changes to its legal provisions regarding relationships between unmarried couples and children born outside the boundaries of a marriage. The law provides a definitive procedure to register and document births of such children, and establish their legal identity.
Introduction The UAE, an inspiration of diversity and a global hub has implemented comprehensive laws governing the administration of non-Muslims' legacies and the execution of their wills.
On 7th November 2021, the Emirate of Abu Dhabi issued a specific law for the first time to accommodate personal status matters for non-Muslims. The law was given Number 14 of the year 2021 and it was enforced from 15 December 2021.
The introduction of a new personal status law for the non-Muslims is a landmark decision on part of the UAE government. To be enforced from February 1st, 2023, the Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status brings with itself numerous changes in terms of marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance etc.
Latest Update: The introduction of a new personal status law for the non-Muslims effective February 2023, the Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status, brings with itself numerous changes in terms of marriage, divorce, custody, inheritance etc.
Under the Shariah rules, a man is allowed to marry more than once and can have up to 4 wives. That said, the second wife has several rights in such a case. Some of the rights, as enshrined under the Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 On Personal Status (UAE Personal Status Law) have been briefly explained below.
In this final Part V of the series on family law matters for expatriates in the UAE, we continue to understand the key changes brought by the new law in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, which has significant implications for non-Muslim locals and expatriates in Abu Dhabi.
Expatriates have enjoyed living in the UAE for many years but often do not understand the application of the UAE laws on them. In this series, we are covering the laws applicable to family matters in the UAE which have implications for expatriates.
Family courts have launched an electronic registration system for family cases. This service can be accessed through the official electronic portal maintained by the courts.
Many groundbreaking legal changes have been introduced in the UAE in recent months. The new changes have been nothing short of revolutionary in terms of modernizing the existing rules and building a more flexible and expat-friendly environment.
A divorce process can often be a very unsettling time for people; however, it is important to understand that financial rights concerning ‘alimony’ and ‘child support' are very crucial factors that have far-reaching implications.
The right answer to this question is to ensure that you have a registered will at hand so that your wishes are protected as per the UAE inheritance law.
In the wake of the progression of implementing new legislation, the Emirate of Dubai has promulgated a new law under Law Number 9 of 2020 for regulating Family Ownership.
It is affirmed under Article 1 of the Manual that all competent courts or authorities dealing with personal matters shall adhere to the provisions of the Manual, and any contradicting order or decision is deemed to be cancelled.
Divorce is indeed a very delicate matter, and if children are involved, it should be dealt with the utmost care and conscious.
The new Law has come up with serious amendments in the Personal Status Law which shall be noted critically by readers facing such family issues.
UAE law considers domestic violence a serious felony and the damage incurred by the other person can have serious consequences on their daily life or routine.
The vast majority of family court cases may have recourse to witness testimony, which can be very determinative to the outcome of the case.
In this article I will guide you to better understand the legal process which is followed in most family disputes.
The statement of Claim is drafted by the Claimant or the lawyer. The statement of claim has to be in writing and in the Arabic language.
90% of the cases will involve witnesses and they can have the biggest impact on the outcome of the case, hence reading the article will provide valuable information to ensure a strong claim.
In this article, we will explain the kind of correspondence that the court accepts, and the role of the mediators in the processes of the family courts, whose purpose is to communicate between the parties to settle an amicable solution to the family dispute.
In the second part of the guide through family court proceedings, we shall be outlining some of the common mistakes made by parties while entering into settlement agreements due to the absence of a competent attorney and sound legal advice.
Witness hearing is common in personal matters before the courts in the UAE. Provisions for witnesses in personal matters exist in the Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 on Personal Status...
Dr. Hassan Elhais explains the divorce for a U.A.E resident under U.A.E Family Law and Hindu marriage act 1995.
Dr. Hassan Elhais explains the role of the family guidance committee in resolving family disputes.
Dr. Hassan Elhais discusses the legal complications arising from jurisdiction and the questions of which laws shall prevail when it comes to family cases.
Total Publications: 32
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