UAE has released new regulations to access the estates, credits, and finds of the deceased people and confirm the legitimate heir of the deceased person’s wealth. These new regulations are released to protect the rights to the legitimate heir.
As per the new regulations, particular procedures must be followed before wealth is handed over to the family. Until procedures are incomplete, the accounts will remain freezed and no transfer of funds is possible.
This is particularly important following recent changes to the inheritance and estate management regime in the UAE under the UAE Civil Transactions Law, which include the stipulation of clearer rules for non-Muslims’ inheritance. Families can find it hard to cover expenditures on rent, school, or living up to every day of the year until legal approval comes through without preparation.
Why UAE Banks Freeze Accounts After Death?
In UAE Banks immediately freeze the Bank accounts on official death notification. This is true not only of savings accounts and current accounts but also some joint accounts and even fixed deposits.
The freeze is to make sure that any debt, such as loans, and credit card obligations have all been paid off prior to the distribution of the assets. Another reason for courts in the UAE to examine inheritance cases is to confirm the rightful inheritors of the money.
The property does not automatically pass to the owner in UAE when a person dies if the bank account is joint. If both names are found on the account, it can be temporarily frozen until court is issued.
What if there is no registered Will?
In the absence of UAE-registered Will, if an expat dies intestate the will is divided among relatives in accordance with UAE inheritance laws. The process is a little more streamlined for non-Muslim expats in 2026, but they could still encounter delays if not the legal heirs then, the legal heir immediately afterwards.
With the existing regulations:
- Normally one half of the estate passes to the surviving spouse.
- Then the other half or 50%, is split equally among children.
- Assuming there are no children involved then the estate can be passed to parents or siblings.
The “Waqf” provision was also new with the major update 2026. When there are no legal heirs the assets held abroad equivalent to a citizen of the UAE can be eventually donated to a charitable endowment operated by the government.
How Families Can Unfreeze Bank Accounts?
For someone to access frozen funds, they must have either a legal succession certificate or court order. There are attested documents that are submitted in this process, including:
- Death certificate
- Passport copies
- Marriage certificate
- Birth, marriage, and death Certificates for children.
- Proof of relationship
Verification may be a lengthy process and take several months if the UAE Will has not been registered. Transfer of assets may be subject to courts’ approval of translated and legally certified documents from the place of origin of the deceased’s country.
But the processing time for families who have a registered Will in the DIFC, Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) or Dubai Courts may be extremely swift.
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Why Should Expats Plan Ahead?
Experts make it abundantly clear that foreigners shouldn’t just depend on wills made in a country of their origin. When it comes to probate and inheritance issues, UAE authorities prefer to act on registered UAE wills first.
One further tip from financial advisors is to keep an Emergency Fund in an overseas account or in the name of a financially independent spouse. This assists families in their day-to-day needs whilst they wait for UAE legal matters to be resolved.
Estate planning is becoming a key consideration for life in the UAE for the expat resident with children, property or business interests.
FAQs
Will UAE banks close an account on the death of one partner?
Yes. Joint accounts are also in most instances frozen in such cases until instructions have been issued from the UAE courts with regards to what assets belong to who and how the inheritance occurs.
What’s the time required to un-freeze your bank account in the UAE?
This may take weeks or months, depending on whether he has registered a Will in UAE and how quickly the paperwork is filed by the beneficiaries.
What if an Expatriate passes away in the UAE without a Will?
The inheritance is divided based on UAE laws and in the process courts identify the legal heirs before releasing any funds.
Can an outsider be adopted in the UAE?
In many cases, yes, foreign wills must be translated and attested by a lawyer and approved by court and will cause a lengthy delay in the probate process.
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