Why Expat Families in Dubai Need a Will
Of the millions of expats residing in the United Arab Emirates, many are oblivious of the strict interpretation of laws governing the UAE, which often leave expats in legal limbo. One particular area of concern is the legal intricacies surrounding the death of an expat.
With the help of Just Wills, a Dubai company offering professional will writing services to expats, Move One has produced a new video as part of our Dubai City Guide™, to be released this summer.
Titled ‘Dubai Basics: Wills’, the video gives a vivid idea of the measures taken by the Emirates government when an expat dies, and advises on adequate steps to take in order to protect against the resulting implications, which could leave expats struggling with little or no support. These steps may include appointing interim and permanent guardians to care for the deceased’s children or step children, opening emergency offshore bank accounts and taking out a life insurance policy; enough to cover all debts including mortgage, car lease, legal fees, etc. The video also details the responsibilities of embassies and companies should an expat die.
There are three laws that apply when an expat passes away in the UAE; Sharia law, UAE law and International law. It is important to understand that Sharia law is only applicable to Muslims and to expats who don’t have a will. While many may feel some aspects of these legal codes are draconian, having a legally binding will, which is admissible in a Sharia court of law, is necessary to avoid certain legal pitfalls.
For further information, please visit Move One’s website, or contact dubai@moveonerelo.com. To get professional assistance on drafting a will, please contact Mohammad D. Marria, Senior Estate Planner – Just Wills at mohammad@justwills.ae.
About Move One City Guides™
Move One City Guides™ is a multiple award-winning set of virtual mini documentaries with very useful information for the relocating expatriate. It covers topics such as expat healthcare, transport, housing, language, international schools, etc.
Accompanied by useful internet resources, our City Guides™ allow expats to explore and discover what life is like in a different city without even physically being there.
‘Dubai Basics: Wills’ is only one part of our Dubai City Guide™, so please stay tuned for the full set of videos.
Currently, Move One has the following cities live online: Bratislava, Budapest, Moscow, Prague, Shanghai and Warsaw. Besides Dubai and before the end of this year, we will be launching additional guides for Abu Dhabi, Almaty, Astana, Belgrade, Bucharest, Kiev, Krakow, St. Petersburg and Zagreb. For more information, please visit the Move One City Guides™ homepage.
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