First-Hand Experience of Registering DIFC Wills Through Video Conferencing

DIFC Wills registration through video conferencing could not have come at a better time. The service has been introduced right in the middle of the COVID-19 when everyone has been effectively ordered to stay home to ensure the containment of the spread of the corona virus.

DIFC Courts Wills Service (DIFC CWS) has proven to be the most innovative government department in the UAE to take the rights steps at the right time using the modern technology to deliver its services.

This article aims to explain the first-hand experience of writing DIFC Wills starting from the drafting to registration through video conference call. The process is explained in three (3) simple steps below:

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1. Drafting of DIFC Wills

The process commences with the client (testator) engaging a Wills draftsman such as Legal Inz for the preparation of Wills in Dubai. The drafting of the DIFC Will is carried out by the registered draftsman keeping in view the specific instructions of each client. Once the draft will is reviewed and approved by the client, it is shared with the DIFC CWS for their review and confirmation.

2. Booking of Appointment

The appointment for video conference call is booked by the client through DIFC CWS’s portal by selecting the registration of will through video conference call. The availability of the appointment needs to be coordinated with the two (2) witnesses who are also required to attend the video conference call along with the client.

The client is also requirement to make payment of the relevant registration fee for the will at this time to confirm the booking.

Once the appointment is booked, DIFC CWS sends out the invitation for the video conference call to the client and the witnesses involved in the signing of the wills. DIFC CWS also sends out a Skype video link which can be opened by the client and the witnesses in any web browser on any electronic device to attend the call.

3. Video Conference Call and Registration

The video call can be attended by the client as well as the witnesses by clicking at the Skype link received by them. They can attend the call from any location/country and do not need to be present at the same location for the call. The call is coordinated and recorded by the DIFC CWS Wills registration officer.

The officer requires the client and the witnesses to show their original passports and Emirates IDs (whichever is applicable) to commence the registration process. The offer shares the will on screen with the client and witnesses to ensure that the client understands and agrees with the content of the will. Once agreed, the officer shares the same document with the client and witnesses through DIFC CWS’s virtual portal with login details to allow them to access and sign the will on their respective mobile or other touch screen devices.

Once the will is signed by the client and witnesses, the officer affixes the electronic signatures on the will together with the seal of the DIFC CWS. The officer then allows the client to download the will instantly as a valid and binding document. This completes the process of registration of the DIFC Will.

In our view, this technology is here to stay due to its convenience and ease of use offered by it. It saves everyone’s time and resources and avoid wastage of unnecessary travel time to and from DIFC CWS’s offices. As a result of this, the testators are also not required to travel to the UAE for the registration of their DIFC Wills.

During Covid-19, Wills in Abu Dhabi can also be signed through a video conferencing with Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s Will Registration Office.

Related: 4 Most Critical Issues Covered in UAE Wills