Often, yes. In the UAE, banks commonly restrict access to a customer's accounts once they are told of the death, and in practice this can include joint accounts as well as sole accounts. Funds are generally released once the bank receives a court order or other documents confirming who is entitled, which can leave a surviving spouse without access to money for weeks or months. This reflects UAE practice as at October 2026; each bank's terms and the facts of the estate matter.

Why banks restrict accounts

Many UK customers expect a joint account simply to pass to the survivor. In the UAE, that should not be assumed. When an account holder dies, the bank needs to know who is entitled to the money, and releasing it early risks paying the wrong person, so banks commonly wait for the court.

This catches many expat families out. A couple may have run their household through a joint account for years and assume the survivor can carry on using it. In practice, that account may be restricted along with everything else. A bank's own account terms can affect the outcome, so it is worth asking your bank directly how it treats joint accounts on death.

How funds are released

The steps broadly look like this:

  1. The bank is notified and restricts the accounts
  2. The family obtains the death certificate and supporting documents
  3. An application is made to the relevant court to establish who inherits and, if there is a will, to have it recognised or probated
  4. The court issues an order, and the bank releases funds in line with it

How long this takes depends on the court, whether there is a registered will, how many heirs there are and whether any live overseas.

How a registered will helps

A will registered with a UAE court, such as through the DIFC or ADGM wills services, names an executor and sets out who inherits. That gives the court and the bank a clear document to act on. Without one, non-Muslim estates generally fall under the default rules in Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022, which split the estate between spouse and children, and every heir may need to be involved.

Dubai Law No. 2 of 2025 gives the DIFC Courts jurisdiction to enforce registered DIFC wills of non-Muslims whether the assets are inside or outside the DIFC, which may help for Dubai-based assets. A will does not prevent a restriction, but it can make the route to release clearer.

Planning for the gap

Even with a will, there may be a period when UAE accounts are not accessible. Families often think about:

  • Separate accounts: each spouse having some money in their sole name, so day-to-day spending does not rely wholly on one person's accounts
  • Funds outside the UAE: some savings held in another jurisdiction with different processes
  • Life cover: a policy written in trust may pay out to trustees without waiting for probate, because the proceeds belong to the trust rather than the estate. Whether this works depends on the policy, the trust wording and the insurer's process
  • Emergency costs: school fees, rent, visa matters and repatriation can all fall due quickly

For more on how trusts and life cover fit into succession planning, see our guide on life insurance, trusts and succession for GCC expats.

A worked example

Illustrative example only, not a real client.

James and Anna live in Dubai. Their household runs through a joint UAE account holding AED 150,000. James also has AED 500,000 in his sole savings account. Anna has no account in her sole name.

James dies suddenly. Assuming the bank restricts both accounts, as commonly happens, Anna has school fees of AED 60,000 and rent of AED 120,000 due within two months: AED 180,000 in total, more than the whole joint balance even if it had stayed accessible.

If Anna had held, say, AED 100,000 in her own name, and James had life cover in trust paying out to trustees for her benefit, she might have had access to money while the court process ran. Without that, she may have to rely on family or borrowing until the court order comes through.

Common mistakes

  • Assuming a joint account will remain usable by the survivor
  • Keeping all household money in one spouse's name
  • Not having a registered UAE will
  • Overlooking UK accounts, which follow UK probate rules separately

A regulated financial adviser can help. Get in touch for a free introduction.

Sources and further reading

Last reviewed: October 2026. Tax year: 2026/27; UAE practice as at October 2026. Jurisdictions covered: UAE, UK. Rates, legislation and guidance change, so recheck before relying on this. Rules can differ between England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; tax residence is fact-specific; treaty outcomes depend on residence, domicile or nationality provisions; examples are simplified and omit reliefs, costs, exchange rates and anti-avoidance rules. This is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice. Take advice in the relevant country before acting.