Inheritance Planning in the UAE: The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) Civil Will. Service offer

• Unlike the DIFC regime, the ADJD framework is not limited to non-Muslim expatriates. The ADJD Civil Family Court states that a non-UAE national may register a Civil Will regardless of religion. The legislation also accommodates non-Muslim UAE citizens within its scope.
• The legislation does not state UAE residence as a general substantive eligibility condition; however, the administrative process and required documentation should be checked in each non-resident case.

• A testator may determine the beneficiaries of UAE assets rather than leaving distribution to the default intestacy rules.
• The ADJD provides an approved bilingual Arabic-English Will form, although a bespoke Will may be appropriate for more complex estates.
• The registration application is submitted through the ADJD system and may be submitted by the testator or by an authorised representative under a legal power of attorney.
• The competent ADJD employee reviews the application and, after approval and payment of the fee, the Will can be certified/notarised following a video-conference appointment.
• ADJD’s current guidance states that funds and property outside the UAE may also be included. Cross-border effectiveness, however, remains subject to the law and procedures of the country where the foreign asset is situated.
• After death, the executor can apply to the ADJD for the Will to be given executive effect and then proceed with the necessary estate administration steps.

The ADJD currently states a fee of AED 950 for regular Will registration and AED 2,500 for special Will registration. Professional drafting, translation, attestation and other charges are separate and official fees may change.

*The fees are valid as of September 2026.