Appointing a guardian for your children in the UAE: interim, permanent and which will
If you are an expat parent, the way to appoint a guardian for your children in the UAE is to name that person in a registered will. DIFC Courts offers a Guardianship Will (AED 5,000, or AED 7,500 for mirror wills) and lets a Full Will name interim and permanent guardians for children living in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah. The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s bilingual Civil Will template has its own guardianship section. In every route, the court decides whether a named guardian can act; the will records your choice and makes it far easier to follow.
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Why expat parents write a guardianship appointment at all
Most families in the UAE have no grandparents, aunts or uncles living in the same emirate. If both parents die together, or one parent dies while the other cannot care for the children, the practical question arrives within hours: who collects the children from school tonight, and who raises them afterwards?
A guardianship appointment answers both questions in your own words. It does not replace the court. It gives the court a clear, registered statement of who you chose, and the registries that publish a guardianship route say they act on it subject to their own rules.
Where no appointment exists, the competent court decides under the law that applies to the family. This guide does not predict that outcome; the related guide on what happens without a will in Dubai sets out what the authorities publish about estates.
Interim guardian or permanent guardian: what is the difference?
DIFC Courts defines an interim (temporary) guardian as the person who looks after your children until the permanent guardians take responsibility, and a permanent guardian as the person who cares for them long term. Its guardianship page notes that interim guardians are often family or close friends living nearby, while the permanent choice may mean a child relocating to another country.
The Abu Dhabi Civil Will template draws the same line. It names a permanent guardian for each child and an interim guardian who acts only until the permanent guardian is able to take custody.
| Role | What it covers | Typical consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Interim guardian | Care of the children for a temporary period, until the permanent guardian takes over (DIFC Courts FAQ; ADJD template). | Someone in the UAE who can act immediately and whom the children already know. |
| Permanent guardian | Care of the children permanently or long term (DIFC Courts FAQ; ADJD template). | Values, schooling, language, finances and whether the children would move country. |
| Alternate | A substitute named in case a guardian dies first, cannot act or is unwilling (ADJD template wording). | Worth naming in every route, so one change of circumstance does not empty the clause. |
Which UAE registry can record your choice of guardian?
Three routes are relevant to expat parents. They publish very different levels of detail, and eligibility depends on religion, age and where the children live, not on nationality alone. The figures below are each registry’s own published fees, checked on 22 October 2026. They exclude any preparation, legal, translation or courier fee, and they can change.
| Route | Published eligibility | Guardianship | Registry fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| DIFC Courts Guardianship Will | Not Muslim and never been Muslim; 18 or over; assets in the UAE and/or minor children residing in the UAE. | Appointment of guardians for minor children only. | AED 5,000 single; AED 7,500 mirror. Booking fee AED 500 / AED 750, deducted from the service fee. |
| DIFC Courts Full Will | Same as above. | Assets in the UAE plus interim and permanent guardians for minor children residing in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah. | AED 10,000 single; AED 15,000 mirror. Booking fee AED 1,000 / AED 2,000. |
| ADJD Civil Will (Abu Dhabi) | Any non-UAE citizen, regardless of religion (ADJD Civil Family Court FAQ). | Template section “Guardianship Appointments (if applicable)” for permanent and interim guardians. | AED 950 regular; AED 2,500 special. |
| Dubai Courts non-Muslim will ratification | Testator non-Muslim; parties 21 or over; Emirates ID for online attestation. | The service page does not describe guardianship provisions. Confirm with the Notary Public before relying on it. | AED 2,000 for ratification of the will. |
Source: DIFC Courts — Fees, Part B: the DIFC Courts Wills Service
Guardianship Will or Full Will at DIFC?
A DIFC Guardianship Will appoints guardians and does nothing else. DIFC Courts says that if you also want to pass on assets, you should consider a Full Will, which can carry both. Guardians cannot be appointed in a Property Will, a Business Owners Will or a Financial Assets Will.
Couples who register at the same time can sign mirror wills in one appointment. Each parent still has a separate will, and the mirror fee is lower than two single fees. Our mirror wills page explains how we prepare a pair, and the DIFC Will page covers the Full Will route.
Source: DIFC Courts — Guardianship Will
What DIFC asks of the guardians themselves
Naming someone is only half the work. DIFC Courts publishes several conditions that involve the guardians directly, and they are easy to miss until the booking stage.
- Every interim and permanent guardian must sign a Guardianship Statement, which is uploaded with the will. The parents do not sign one.
- Guardians, and the spouses of guardians, may not attend the will-signing appointment.
- The two witnesses must be 18 or over, hold valid photo ID, and must not be beneficiaries or guardians, or the spouse of either.
- Guardians do not need to live in the UAE. DIFC Courts states that the Rules impose no residence requirement on executors or guardians.
- Nominated guardians must meet the eligibility requirements of the DIFC Wills and Probate Registry Rules, and the appointment must not contravene UAE public policy.
- After a death, DIFC Courts can issue Interim Guardianship Orders and Permanent Guardianship Orders in line with the will.
Source: DIFC Courts — Wills FAQ
Can the whole DIFC process be done remotely?
DIFC Courts’ FAQ says eligible testators can register virtually from anywhere in the world, with witnesses joining by video. Its Guardianship Will page, however, says the pre-registration checks for a Guardianship Will can only be carried out by appointment in person with the Wills Service, not through the Virtual Registry.
The two statements sit on different pages and were both live on 22 October 2026. If you are outside the UAE, ask the Wills Service which applies to your will type before you plan travel or book witnesses. Our guide to registering a DIFC will walks through the booking steps.
Abu Dhabi: the guardianship section of the ADJD Civil Will
ADJD’s Civil Family Court publishes a standard Last Will and Testament template in English and Arabic. Section nine, “Guardianship Appointments (if applicable)”, asks for each child’s name, date of birth, nationality and passport number, then a permanent guardian and an alternate if the first dies, cannot act or is unwilling.
The same section lets you name an interim guardian, and an alternate interim guardian, for the period before the permanent guardian can take custody. A Civil Will is recognised once it is registered with the ADJD Civil Wills Section. Our guide to registering an ADJD will covers that step.
Source: ADJD — Civil Will template (Last Will and Testament)
Dubai Courts: what the non-Muslim will service says, and what it does not
Dubai Courts lists a Notary Public service for the ratification of non-Muslim wills at AED 2,000. Its conditions are that the testator is non-Muslim and owns the bequest, that the parties are 21 or over, and that online attestation needs a valid Emirates ID; a passport-only party appears in person. Documents not in Arabic need a legal translation certified by the UAE Ministry of Justice.
The page does not mention guardians, interim or permanent, and its stated result is an “Attested Contract”. That silence is not a refusal, but it means a parent who wants a guardianship clause should ask the Notary Public directly before choosing this route. The registry comparison guide sets the three routes side by side.
Source: Dubai Courts — Ratification of marriage contracts concluded by churches and wills of non-Muslims
Keeping the appointment current
A guardian chosen when your first child was born may not be the right person ten years later. At DIFC, any change to guardians means signing a new will; DIFC Courts lists a modification fee of AED 550 per will. Its FAQ also says marriage revokes a DIFC will unless the intention to marry that person is stated, and that after a divorce any appointment of the former spouse is treated as though that person had died.
Sensible review points are the birth or adoption of a child, a guardian moving country or falling ill, a separation, and any move of the family to another emirate.
A short checklist before you book
Working through these points first makes the drafting and the registry appointment much quicker.
- Confirm which registry you are eligible for: religion, age, and where the children live.
- Choose a permanent guardian, an interim guardian in the UAE, and an alternate for each.
- Ask each guardian directly, and give them time to say no.
- Collect full names, passport details and Emirates ID numbers where the template asks for them.
- For DIFC, prepare the signed Guardianship Statements and two eligible witnesses.
- Decide whether you need a guardianship-only will or a will that also covers assets.
- Write a separate letter of wishes about schooling, religion or contact with relatives if that matters to you. DIFC accepts optional supporting documents with the upload.
Where The Deedbox fits
The Deedbox is a legal-document service, not a law firm or a court. We prepare will documents, check wording against what the chosen registry publishes, and coordinate the appointment. The registry checks eligibility, identity, witnesses and guardians, and only a court issues a guardianship order.
Our Guardianship Will page states what we can currently take on for a standalone appointment. If you also want to leave assets, start with the DIFC Will or the ADJD Will. Message us with your emirate and family situation and we will tell you which route fits.
Questions
Can I appoint a guardian for my children in a UAE will if I am not a UAE resident?
At DIFC Courts, yes, if you are eligible: a non-Muslim aged 18 or over with assets in the UAE and/or minor children residing in Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah may register virtually from abroad, and guardians need not be UAE residents. Check the in-person pre-registration rule on the Guardianship Will page first.
What is the difference between an interim and a permanent guardian in the UAE?
An interim guardian cares for the children temporarily until the permanent guardian takes responsibility; a permanent guardian cares for them long term. DIFC Courts and the ADJD Civil Will template both use this distinction, and both allow alternates.
How much does a DIFC Guardianship Will cost?
DIFC Courts publishes AED 5,000 for a single Guardianship Will and AED 7,500 for mirror wills, with a non-refundable booking fee of AED 500 or AED 750 that is deducted from the service fee. These are registry fees checked on 22 October 2026, separate from any preparation fee.
Can I name guardians in a DIFC Property Will?
No. DIFC Courts states that guardians cannot be appointed in a Property Will, a Business Owners Will or a Financial Assets Will. Use a Guardianship Will, or a Full Will if you also want to distribute assets.
Does naming a guardian guarantee the court will appoint that person?
No. DIFC Courts says nominated guardians must meet the eligibility requirements of its Rules and the appointment must not contravene UAE public policy. The will records your choice; the court issues the guardianship order.
Can Muslim parents use the DIFC guardianship route?
DIFC Courts registers wills only for people who are not Muslim and have never been Muslim. ADJD says any non-UAE citizen may register a Civil Will regardless of religion, but how guardianship would then be decided for a particular family is a question for qualified legal advice.
Can the guardians I name attend the will signing?
Not at DIFC Courts. Guardians and the spouses of guardians are not permitted to attend the signing appointment, and they cannot act as the two witnesses.
What this page does not do
- This page does not decide which law governs custody or guardianship for your family, or who a court would appoint where no will exists.
- It does not address whether a country outside the UAE will recognise a UAE guardianship appointment or order.
- Fees are the registries’ published figures on 22 October 2026. They exclude preparation, legal, translation and courier costs and can change; the registry’s current page controls.
- Custody after divorce or separation is a family-court matter and is outside this guide.
Sources last checked