Inheritance power of attorney in the UAE

Start with the succession documents and the person's role. An heir authorising someone for their own interest is different from an executor or administrator acting for an estate. A family member's relationship to the deceased does not alone establish authority over every asset. Identify the court or registry record on which the proposed principal relies and whether any order limits their powers.

Where there are several heirs, clarify who will grant authority and whether their interests or instructions differ. Do not assume one heir can authorise action for everyone without evidence. If a company or asset is jointly owned, distinguish the deceased's interest from the rights of living co-owners. These questions help prevent a drafting exercise from concealing an unresolved succession or ownership issue.

List the proposed acts: requesting records, receiving institutional correspondence, submitting transfer applications or attending a defined estate process. Then discuss separately any authority to sell assets, accept a settlement, receive money or renounce a right. Those consequential decisions should not be bundled into a routine administration brief without the principal understanding them.

A POA should work alongside the estate documents and institutional requirements. It cannot create a beneficiary entitlement that has not been established, and it should not be used to bypass a court instruction. If the estate is disputed or the representative has a conflicting interest, obtain specific advice before drafting broad powers. Keep professional representation, administrative assistance and substantive settlement authority distinct.

Dubai Land Department's inheritance title transfer service identifies succession evidence, heirs' identification and an official instruction for the property transfer. That service is distinct from registering a sale or gift. The proposed agent's authority should be checked against the actual inheritance transaction and supporting documents. A generic property POA may not resolve the succession evidence required by DLD.

Bank, company and overseas asset processes should be checked separately. Ask each institution what it requires from heirs, executors or administrators and their representatives. Preserve translations and authentication of foreign succession or identity documents where needed. Avoid presenting one institution's acceptance as a guarantee that the same pack will complete every estate asset in the UAE or abroad.

If a beneficiary is a minor or a person lacks capacity, identify the recognised guardian or court-supervised representative and any approval requirements for the proposed act. The Ministry of Justice publishes services concerning property and money of minors, incapacitated and absent persons. A private POA should not be assumed to replace a necessary court permission or authorise a guardian to dispose of assets without review.

Agree how the agent will report, how estate funds will be accounted for and who receives completed institutional records. Keep the authority, succession documents, application outputs and receipts in one administration file. Distinguish money collected for an estate from an heir's personal distribution. If the delegated task ends or representation changes, check whether authority must be amended or cancelled and who should be informed.