Expat Inheritance in Qatar: Frozen Accounts and Heir Certificates

After a death, the family often has two worries at once: the body and the money. Our guide to death and repatriation in Qatar covers the first. This page covers the second: what happens to the estate.

We relied on a 2012 Gulf Times legal article on the family law (Law No. 22 of 2006), the DohaGuides death guide, and a search summary of a commercial legal guide. The Gulf Times article is old and the authors used their own translation of Arabic laws. We found no official Ministry of Justice guide. This is general information, not legal advice. Talk to a Qatar-licensed lawyer about a real estate.

Which law applies to an expat's estate?

Gulf Times reports that Law No. 22 of 2006 says non-Muslims should be governed by their own laws, and that matters it does not cover fall under the Hanbali school unless the court decides otherwise. DohaGuides says inheritance is governed by the deceased's nationality law. The family and inheritance court is the Family (Sharia) Court. Without a will, Gulf Times says the law divides assets among heirs under Sharia.

In practice that is where it gets uncertain. The same article says Qatari courts may take jurisdiction over a non-Muslim's will in some cases, such as when assets are located in Qatar or the documents are incomplete.

Why bank accounts and property are frozen

DohaGuides says bank accounts are frozen after a death. Heirs need authorization from the bank's legal department, supported by the death certificate, a heirs' status certificate and any power of attorney. Banks settle outstanding loans first. Gulf Times says a non-Muslim's assets in Qatar may be frozen until the heirs give the Family Court a certificate proving their entitlement.

If you are worried about a frozen account for another reason, see what to do when a Qatar bank account is frozen.

What is an heir's certificate?

It is the court document that names who is entitled to the estate. Gulf Times says its form depends on the deceased's nationality. For example, for a British deceased with a will it could be a letter of probate. Heirs should expect to need the death certificate, proof of relationship and the will, if there is one.

Foreign documents: legalize and translate

Gulf Times says documents must be notarized, legalized and authenticated, then translated into Arabic in Qatar and authenticated by the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs before submission. DohaGuides says foreign documents must be legalized by the origin country's foreign ministry and attested by the Qatari embassy, and that powers of attorney follow the same rule. See our guides to document attestation and power of attorney.

Final pay and end of service

DohaGuides says the employer must deposit the worker's wages, entitlements and end-of-service gratuity with the court's treasury within 15 days of death (Article 55 of Law No. 14 of 2004). That money goes to the heirs through the court, not to a relative who asks the employer. See end of service gratuity for how it is calculated.

Should expats make a will?

Gulf Times says the law treats a will as valid whatever the religion of the person making it or the beneficiaries. It lists the form, the maker, the beneficiaries and the property as parts of a will. A commercial guide in our search says non-Muslims should register a will in Qatar and name their national law. That is one unverified source, so do not rely on it without a lawyer. Do not assume that a will written at home covers assets in Qatar.

What we could not verify

• Current court procedure, fees and timing for an heir's certificate.
• Whether registering a will in Qatar is available or required for non-Muslims.
• How the court treats the estates of long-term residents with Qatari property.