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Countries · United Arab Emirates

On the day of death every account is frozen. Access goes to whoever proves the heirs by documents.

For the estate of an Iranian national, the basic rule of Emirati conflict of laws points to the law of his nationality — Iranian law. But that reference does not operate by itself: whoever wants it must apply for it and prove the content of Iranian law. Otherwise the court calculates under the local rules.

This page describes the interface between Iranian law and UAE practice. It is not legal advice; UAE law is assessed by lawyers admitted there.

Which law applies

Emirati law is in motion here: 2020, 2022 and most recently the Personal Status Law of 2024, in force since the beginning of 2026. Every matter is measured against the position of the day.

The basic rule — and its condition UAE law

Under the conflict rule of the Civil Transactions Law (Art. 17 CTL), succession to a foreigner is governed by the law of his nationality at death. For Iranians that means Iranian succession law — with exceptions, for instance for the heirless estate. The special rules for non-Muslims do not, as a rule, reach Iranian nationals.

The decisive point: the court does not apply Iranian law of its own motion. The heirs must request it — and prove its content: with legalised documents and a statement of the Iranian succession rules, translated into Arabic. Where that proof is missing, the estate is calculated under the local distribution rules, and those diverge from the Iranian shares on important points.

This is exactly where the work sits. Proof of the heirs and shares under Iranian law, documentarily closed and prepared for an Emirati court — together with the locally admitted firm that runs the proceedings.

Succession

Two clocks run at once: the freeze in the Emirates — and the gathering of evidence from Iran. Whoever starts the second too late pays in months.

The freeze UAE law

On notice of the death, the deceased’s assets in the UAE are frozen — accounts, joint accounts included, shareholdings, dealings with real property. Release comes only once the court has established the heirs and their shares and the debts are settled. The procedure stands and falls with the proof of heirship.

What comes from me. The Iranian evidentiary chain for the Emirati proceedings: determination of heirs, civil status documents, the heirs’ powers of attorney — obtained through colleagues in Iran, legalised through the foreign ministry and the UAE mission, translated into Arabic, with a written statement of the Iranian shares. In parallel, the Iranian proceedings for the assets located in Iran.

Residence, visa and the law of succession UAE law

The residence visa — employment, investor, golden visa — does not change the applicable succession law: what counts is the deceased’s nationality. What residence changes is where the assets sit — and with that, what gets frozen.

Iranian passport — whatever the visaBasic rule: Iranian succession law, on application and proof. Without the proof: local distribution rules.
Iranian plus a second nationalityWhich nationality the court takes as decisive is a preliminary question of the local law — it is settled before anything else.
Heirless estateSince the recent reforms, an estate left unproven passes to a charitable fund — so the window for proving heirs is no formality.
Planning consequence. Whoever holds assets in the Emirates should settle the succession question during their lifetime — registration, powers of attorney, allocation of accounts. After the day of death nobody negotiates any more; only the file counts.

Marriage, divorce, mahr

For Iranian marriages, here too the courts regularly reach back to the home law — and again the content of Iranian law is a matter of proof.

What regularly arises Both

Validity of marriage and divorce under Iranian law; the mahr as a quantified claim from the Iranian marriage deed, including its statutory adjustment; custody and contact situations between the Emirates and Iran; and the mutual usability of documents — each with certified translation and the legalisation chain.

Documents and banking

Between Iran and the Emirates the documentary route is short — both sides have missions and settled channels. The banking side is the stricter part.

The documentary route Both

Iranian documents for the Emirates: translation, pre-certification in Iran, legalisation through the UAE mission and the Emirati foreign ministry, Arabic version. The reverse direction correspondingly. Powers of attorney of Iranian nationals are created through the Iranian foreign ministry portal and the consulates.

Source of funds before banks Both

In the Emirates too, where there is an Iranian connection banks ask for the evidence, not the assurance: which Iranian transaction stands behind the money and which registered document carries it. That layer is the same as in Europe — and it comes from me. The regulatory assessment sits with locally admitted advisers.

Limit. No sanctions determinations, no participation in circumvention, no funds through me — in any configuration. If a person involved is on a sanctions list, the matter is not accepted.

Proof of Iranian law

For courts, firms and banks in the Emirates: the content of Iranian law, in writing, with the provisions in the original and in translation.

Typical questions Iranian law

Succession and shares; validity of marriage and divorce; mahr; shareholder standing and signing authority of Iranian companies; authenticity and evidential value of Iranian documents. Separation of roles and outcome-independent remuneration apply as everywhere: in the same matter either counsel for a party or independent expert — never both.

Enquiries concerning the UAE

Outline the matter briefly by email and state what is to be achieved. You will receive an indication of which part falls to be settled under Iranian law and which part needs a firm admitted in the UAE. Please do not send confidential documents in a first message.

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