A succession certificate from the civil court in India lets legal heirs collect a deceased person's bank deposits, shares and other debts. Heirs in the UAE sign the petition affidavit or no-objection affidavits, notarised and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indian mission. After a public notice, the court grants the certificate, which banks and companies accept.
- Document route
- UAE notary, MOFA attestation, then Indian Embassy or Consulate attestation
- Time difference
- IST is 1h30 ahead of UAE time all year (no daylight saving)
- Law
- Part X, Indian Succession Act 1925
- Court
- District Judge where the deceased lived
Succession Certificate from the UAE: how it works
We list the assets and their values, because the certificate covers only what is specified and court fee is a percentage of the value. The petition is filed in the court where the deceased lived. Every heir is named and either joins or consents. Heirs in the UAE can sign together to reduce attestation costs, and those in India sign locally. We check first whether a nominee was registered on each account, since banks may release funds to a nominee more quickly.
After the public notice period, the court hears the petition and usually grants the certificate within a few months if there is no objection. We then submit it to each bank, depository and employer, and handle requests for indemnities or additional documents. The money is credited to the heir's NRO account and can be remitted to the UAE within the annual limit with Forms 15CA and 15CB.
What clients in the UAE should know
- A succession certificate does not cover land or houses; those pass by inheritance and are recorded by mutation.
- Small amounts may be released by banks on their own indemnity procedure without a court certificate.
- Inheritance is not taxed in India or the UAE, but income it earns in India is taxable.
Step by step from the UAE
Video consultation
A call at a time that suits the UAE, after we have read your documents.
Documents signed in the UAE
UAE notary, MOFA attestation, then Indian Embassy or Consulate attestation
Work in India
Our team files, appears and follows up in India, and shares scans of everything filed.
Result and handover
Certified copies and originals are couriered to you in the UAE where needed.
The full guide
This page covers what changes when you are in the UAE. For the law, the documents and the step-by-step procedure, read our main page on Succession Certificate, or see all services for clients in the UAE and the Inheritance & Documents practice area.
Questions from clients in the UAE
Do all heirs have to sign?
Yes. Each heir joins the petition or files a no-objection affidavit.
Can I file from the UAE?
Yes. You sign the documents in the UAE through the attestation chain and we handle the court work.
How long does it take?
Usually three to six months if nobody objects.