Serious complications can occur when infant children are left behind and no guardianship arrangement recognised in this country has been put in place. In default, Sharia Inheritance rules would apply to property and it would be at the discretion of a local judge to choose the child's guardian.

If an expatriate dies without a Will, Federal Law No. 5 of 1985, concerning the issuance of Civil Transactions Law of the UAE (the “Civil Code”), and Federal Law No. 28 of 2005 regarding the UAE Personal Status Law (the “Personal Status Law”) guide the local Courts on the distribution of assets, only where it is not contrary to public policy. In some cases, it is possible that the Courts will apply principles of Shariah law to the estate of a non-Muslim and therefore mandatory rules of division between certain members of the deceased's family will apply.