Choosing a Guardian for Your Children in the UAE
How to legally appoint guardians for minor children and ensure they remain in trusted care.
Guardianship is the single most important reason for parents to register a will in the UAE. Without one, your children's care - including who they live with, where they go to school and who can travel with them - is determined by the courts rather than by you.
Interim vs permanent guardians
A UAE will lets you name two types of guardian. An interim (or temporary) guardian is someone local who can step in immediately to look after your children in the hours and days after a sudden event, before longer-term arrangements are formalised. A permanent guardian is the person you want to raise your children for the long term, often a family member overseas. Naming both avoids a vacuum in which no one has clear authority.
Who to choose
The right guardian is not always the most obvious relative. Consider values, parenting style, location, age and willingness. Talk to them before naming them - guardianship is a serious responsibility and should never be a surprise. If you want to leave specific instructions about education, religion or contact with extended family, your will is the right place to record them.
How it works legally
Both DIFC and ADJD wills allow guardianship appointments for children under 21. DIFC even offers a dedicated Guardianship Will at a lower price point if guardianship is your only concern. The appointment is enforceable in UAE courts and is recognised alongside any home-country arrangements you may also have in place.
What happens without it
Without a will, a UAE court decides custody based on its own assessment, often after a hearing involving extended family. Children can spend critical weeks in temporary arrangements while paperwork moves through the system. With a will, the people you trust have a clear, documented mandate from day one - and your children's lives stay as stable as possible during a difficult time.