ADJD Will Probate in Abu Dhabi: What Happens After a Non-Muslim Dies

When a non-Muslim with a will registered at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) dies, nothing transfers on its own. The executor named in the will applies to ADJD to have the "executive wording stamp" put on the will, which gives it full force and lets the execution steps begin. For the estate itself, the family files an inheritance application with the Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court, asking it to distribute the assets under the registered will (or under Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 if there is no will), and every heir aged 16 or over has to attend the first hearing.

That is the short answer. Below is how the process works in practice, based on what ADJD publishes, and the points where families tend to lose time.

What does "probate" mean for an ADJD will?

The word is used loosely in the UAE, but the idea is the same everywhere: a court has to confirm the will before banks, developers and registries will act on it. ADJD's own guide to the civil family law says that if the person who died has a registered will, "the heirs can apply for probate and the estate will be distributed in accordance with their wishes".

The Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court is the court for this. Under Article 3 of Regulation No. 8 of 2022, it registers and enforces civil wills and inheritances whenever the estate is in the UAE, and it can issue orders to distribute civil estates and appoint an administrator to run them. Article 4 keeps the court competent even when the other side lives abroad, if the case concerns assets in Abu Dhabi or a will registered there. Its rules cover non-Muslim citizens and foreigners, which is why a registered ADJD will is often the simplest choice for non-Muslim families who live in Abu Dhabi.

A lifetime power of attorney does not help here. It ends when the person who gave it dies, as we explain in what happens to a power of attorney after death.

Step 1: the executor asks for the executive wording stamp

ADJD's Civil Family Court FAQ describes the execution of a will in four steps:

1. The executor submits a request to the relevant ADJD office asking for the executive wording stamp to be affixed to the will.
2. An ADJD officer reviews the request and documents, and either approves it or asks for missing information.
3. The applicant pays the fee set in the judicial fees schedule.
4. Once everything is in order, the office stamps the will, "giving it full force and effect", so the execution steps can start.

This is why the choice of executor matters so much. The executor is the person who starts the process, so pick someone organised, reachable and willing, and name a substitute. Our guide to choosing an executor for your will in the UAE covers that decision.

Step 2: the inheritance application to the Civil Family Court

ADJD publishes a bilingual Inheritance Application for Expats (form ADJD-NM0723-05-03), which can be completed in English or Arabic. It asks for:

• the applicant's details and relationship to the deceased;
• the deceased's details, marital status, and whether there is a will and whether it is registered in the UAE;
• the name, age, nationality and address of each heir;
• what you want from the court: distribution under the registered will, distribution under Law No. 14 of 2021 because there is no will, appointment of an administrator of the estate, or something else.

The supporting documents listed on the form are a copy of the deceased's passport and Emirates ID, copies of all heirs' IDs, the death certificate, a power of attorney where someone acts for an heir, the will, a statement of the estate's assets and liabilities, and a list of any minor heirs.

Two points on the form catch families out:

• Every heir aged 16 or over must attend the first court session. That includes heirs who live abroad, so plan for it early.
• An administrator needs everyone's agreement. If you ask the court to appoint an administrator of the estate, all heirs are required to attend to confirm they agree.

If the person died before 7 December 2021, the form also requires a notice of succession confirming who the legal heirs are, which for a non-Muslim has to come from the deceased's home country.

What happens if there is no registered will?

Then Article 11(2) of Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 sets the shares. Half the estate goes to the surviving husband or wife and the other half is split equally among the children, with no difference between sons and daughters. If there are no children, the parents share equally; if only one parent is alive, that parent takes half and the deceased's siblings share the other half; if neither parent is alive, the siblings share equally.

Article 11(3) adds an exception. Any heir may ask the court to apply the law that would govern the estate under the Civil Transactions Law instead, usually meaning the law of the deceased's nationality, unless a registered will says otherwise. A registered will that sets out your wishes is what keeps that choice in your hands rather than your heirs'.

What if the heirs live outside the UAE?

This is common, and it is manageable.

• Hearings are mostly remote. ADJD's litigation FAQ says most sessions are held by video call, with in-person attendance only where the court decides.
• One person can act for others. ADJD's service manual lists a notarised power of attorney as a standard document when someone files for another person.
• Foreign documents need attestation. The same manual says documents issued outside the UAE must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. A death certificate or power of attorney signed abroad is normally notarised there, legalised through the UAE embassy or the route that country uses, and then attested in the UAE. Our guides to a power of attorney from outside the UAE and MOFA attestation explain each step.
• English is accepted. Under Article 44 of Regulation No. 8 of 2022, the court may run proceedings in English when the parties do not speak Arabic, and expats are exempt from translating documents from English into Arabic; ADJD's translation section does it for a service fee.

Check the exact wording the court needs before anyone signs a power of attorney abroad. Redoing a legalised document can cost weeks.

What does it cost?

ADJD's 2023 Registration Services manual lists these fees for opening an inheritance file at first instance: AED 150 to open the file, AED 200 for each asset in the estate inventory up to a maximum of AED 2,000, AED 500 to appoint an administrator of the estate, and AED 300 for serving notice on each defendant. Regulation No. 8 of 2022 applies the normal personal status fees to Civil Family Court applications unless a special fee is set, so confirm the current figures when you file. The fee for stamping a will is set by the judicial fees schedule. Lawyers' fees, attestation and translation are extra.

After the court's decision

The Civil Family Court's judgments are issued with immediate enforcement (Article 47 of Regulation No. 8 of 2022), and the court follows up its own judgments and decides enforcement issues urgently (Article 46). In practice, the executor or heirs then take the order to each bank, registry or authority holding an asset. Our posts on bank accounts after death in the UAE and debt after death explain what usually happens with accounts, cards and loans while the file is open.

How to make this easier for your family

• Register the will, not just sign it. ADJD's Civil Family Court page says a civil will must be registered to be legally valid. Our guide to registering an ADJD will walks through it.
• Name an executor and a substitute who know where the will and your asset list are kept.
• Keep an up-to-date list of assets and debts. The court form asks for a statement of assets and liabilities, and a complete list avoids gaps.
• Tell your heirs about the first-hearing rule so heirs abroad are not caught off guard.

If your assets are mainly in Dubai, a DIFC will follows a different probate route, which we cover in DIFC will probate, step by step.

Frequently asked questions

How do you execute a registered will in Abu Dhabi?

The executor applies to ADJD for the executive wording stamp to be affixed to the will. ADJD reviews the request, the fee is paid under the judicial fees schedule, and once the will is stamped it has full force and the execution steps can begin.

Do all heirs have to attend court in Abu Dhabi?

ADJD's inheritance application says all heirs aged 16 and over must attend the first court session, and all heirs must attend to confirm an administrator's appointment. Most ADJD sessions are held by video call.

Who inherits in Abu Dhabi if a non-Muslim dies without a will?

Under Article 11(2) of Law No. 14 of 2021, the spouse takes half and the children share the other half equally. Without children, parents and then siblings inherit in set shares. Any heir may ask for the deceased's own national law instead, unless a registered will says otherwise.

Can heirs abroad handle an Abu Dhabi inheritance without travelling?

Often, yes. Most sessions are remote, and an heir can act through a notarised power of attorney. Documents issued abroad must be attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs before they are used.

Does an ADJD will cover assets outside the UAE?

ADJD's FAQ says you can bequeath funds and property located outside the UAE. Whether a foreign bank or registry accepts the ADJD will is a matter for that country's law, so check locally.

The Deed Box helps non-Muslim families prepare and register wills and the attested powers of attorney an estate often needs. We are not a law firm and do not act in court proceedings, so for a contested or complex estate, speak to a UAE-licensed lawyer.

Sources reviewed 1 November 2026: Abu Dhabi Law No. 14 of 2021 on Civil Marriage and its Effects (as amended), Articles 3, 11 and 13; ADJD Regulation No. 8 of 2022, Articles 3, 4, 44, 46, 47 and 51; ADJD Civil Family Court FAQ (civil wills); ADJD Inheritance Application for Expats (ADJD-NM0723-05-03); ADJD Registration Services Guidance Manual 2023 (service ADJD0004); ADJD litigation sessions FAQ; ADJD guide to the civil marriage law. This is general information, not legal advice; the Arabic texts prevail.