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The UAE Medical Liability Law (Federal Law No. 4 of 2016) sets out duties for healthcare practitioners and corresponding protections for patients. Broadly, patients are entitled to care that meets recognised professional standards, to be informed about their condition and treatment, and to give informed consent before procedures, with specific rules for situations such as surgery and emergencies. The law also frames practitioners' obligations around honesty, confidentiality of medical information, and not exposing patients to unjustified harm. Where these duties are breached and a medical error causes injury, the law provides a structured route: complaints are reviewed by a Medical Liability Committee of specialists, serious cases by a higher body, and patients may pursue disciplinary, civil-compensation, and in grave cases criminal outcomes. The law deliberately distinguishes genuine errors from complications that arise despite correct care, which protects both patients and practitioners. The detailed rights and their conditions are defined in the law and its implementing regulations, so confirm specifics against the current text. To understand how these rights apply to your situation, you can compare verified UAE legal professionals on LEXAI.

A will registered through the DIFC Courts Wills Service is designed to deal with assets in the UAE, and its reach has expanded over time beyond Dubai through cooperation arrangements, but the exact geographic scope of what a DIFC will can cover is defined by DIFC Courts rules and any memoranda with other emirates. In practice many non-Muslims use a DIFC will to cover UAE-based movable and immovable assets, with executors then applying to the DIFC Courts for a grant. Whether a specific asset in another emirate is fully covered can depend on the asset type (for example real estate versus bank accounts or company shares) and on local registration requirements in that emirate. Because the precise coverage and any cross-emirate recognition are set by the DIFC Courts and can be updated, confirm the current scope on their official site before assuming a single DIFC will captures everything. If your assets are spread across emirates, an estate-planning lawyer on LEXAI can advise whether one will suffices or whether a separate ADJD or home-country will is also needed.

The UAE introduced a federal civil personal status framework for non-Muslims — Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 on Civil Personal Status — to govern family matters for non-Muslim residents and citizens on a civil rather than Sharia basis. It addresses areas such as civil marriage, divorce, custody of children, and inheritance, and it generally reflects principles like spousal equality and testamentary freedom, meaning non-Muslims can largely choose how their estate is distributed by making a will. Abu Dhabi also has its own civil marriage law administered through its courts, and the federal law extended a civil option more broadly across the emirates. The aim is to give expatriates a family-law system closer to what many are familiar with from their home countries, while still being applied by UAE courts. Because specific provisions, conditions and procedures are defined in the law and its regulations and can be detailed, confirm how a particular rule applies to your situation through official sources or a qualified lawyer. You can find UAE family-law professionals who advise non-Muslims on civil marriage, divorce and wills on LEXAI.

Abu Dhabi established a civil marriage system for non-Muslims, administered through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department's civil family court, allowing eligible non-Muslims to marry on a civil basis without a religious ceremony. It is built around consent and equality between spouses, and it has been used by many expatriates because it offers a recognised civil marriage certificate. Typically the couple apply through Abu Dhabi's official channels, satisfy eligibility and documentation requirements, and complete the civil marriage procedure before the court. The resulting marriage is governed by the civil personal status framework, which also shapes how any future divorce, custody or inheritance issues are handled for non-Muslims. Eligibility conditions, required documents and any fees are set by the Abu Dhabi authorities and updated over time, so confirm the current requirements through official Abu Dhabi government channels before booking. Because rules can depend on nationality and residency status, getting the details right matters. If you would like guidance, you can find UAE legal professionals who assist non-Muslims with civil marriage and related matters on LEXAI.

If a non-Muslim dies in the UAE without a registered Will, UAE civil personal status rules may apply. Generally, 50% of the estate goes to the surviving spouse and the remaining 50% is divided equally among the children, without distinction between sons and daughters. Different rules apply where there are no children, and in certain cases a foreign heir may request application of the law applicable to the estate. If you would like to discuss your estate and the appropriate Will arrangements, you can message me on WhatsApp at +971 56 657 9355 – Engy Soliman.

Under the UAE's civil personal status framework for non-Muslims, child custody is approached on a civil basis that emphasises the best interests of the child and, notably, can provide for joint or shared custody between both parents rather than automatically assigning the child to one parent. The federal civil law for non-Muslims and Abu Dhabi's civil marriage law allow the court to make arrangements for where the child lives, decision-making, and each parent's role, and parents may also be able to agree arrangements that the court can recognise. The civil model differs from approaches that distinguish between custody and guardianship along religious lines, and it gives the court flexibility to tailor outcomes to the family. Because the precise factors, procedures and how disputes are resolved are set by the law and the courts and applied case by case, you should confirm how the rules apply to your circumstances through official sources or a lawyer. Custody outcomes are highly fact-specific. You can find UAE family-law professionals who advise non-Muslim parents on civil custody arrangements on LEXAI.

Abu Dhabi's civil marriage and personal status system for non-Muslims, administered by the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department's civil family court, is designed to allow for joint custody, treating both parents as having a continuing role in raising their children after divorce rather than defaulting to one parent. In a dispute, the court focuses on the child's best interests and can set out the practical arrangements — living arrangements, time with each parent, and how major decisions are made. Parents are also generally encouraged to agree arrangements where possible, which the court can then formalise. This shared-custody orientation is one of the features that distinguishes the civil framework from other approaches. Because the specific procedures, the factors the court weighs, and how non-compliance is handled are set by the Abu Dhabi authorities and the law and applied case by case, confirm how they apply to your situation through official Abu Dhabi government channels or a qualified lawyer. Every family's circumstances differ. You can compare UAE family-law professionals experienced in Abu Dhabi civil custody matters on LEXAI.

Abu Dhabi's civil marriage system for non-Muslims was specifically designed to be open to foreigners, and it has been widely used by non-Muslim expatriate couples seeking a civil, non-religious marriage recognised by a UAE court. The service, administered through the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department's civil family court, generally allows eligible non-Muslims — including non-citizens — to apply, satisfy the documentation and eligibility requirements, and obtain a civil marriage certificate. Exactly who qualifies, what documents are needed (such as identification and certain declarations), and whether residency is required can depend on the applicants' circumstances and are set by the Abu Dhabi authorities, who update the requirements from time to time. Because eligibility details matter and can change, confirm the current conditions through official Abu Dhabi government channels before applying, rather than relying on general summaries. If your situation is unusual — for example differing nationalities or prior marriages — it is worth getting advice first. You can find UAE legal professionals who assist non-Muslim couples with civil marriage applications on LEXAI to confirm your eligibility and prepare the paperwork.

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The cost of registering a will through the DIFC Courts Wills Service depends on factors such as the type of will you choose (for example a single guardianship will versus a full asset will), whether it is registered for one person or as a pair of mirror wills for a couple, and how the registration is carried out. Because these fees are set by the DIFC Courts and are reviewed and updated over time, the only reliable figures are the current ones published on the DIFC Courts official site — you should confirm there rather than relying on amounts quoted in third-party articles, which may be out of date. On top of the registry fee, you may also incur professional fees if you use a lawyer to draft the will and advise on your structure. To budget accurately, check the official DIFC Courts fee schedule for the specific will type you need, and ask any lawyer for a clear quote of their drafting fees separately. If you would like help, you can compare UAE estate-planning professionals on LEXAI who can prepare a DIFC will and explain the total cost involved.