ArranLass

I'm about to become resident in Bahrain. I have been told that I have to have a legal will here. If I don't my estate will go to the government here in Bahrain. This doesn't surprise me as this was the case in Cyprus. Is this the case in the rest of the Middle East?

Just flagging it up really

Do tell me if I'm wrong?

Meow

See my notes in the Wiki regarding Sharia law and wills.

The Bahraini government does not take assets on death, but Sharia Law will apply to assets held in Bahrain (and other countries where Sharia Law applies). The laws of your home country apply to assets held offshore and elsewhere.

There is no law stating that you must have a will, but everyone should. You only need one will to cover all your assets, but that should take into consideration where you hold assets and local rules.

Feel free to PM me for advice.

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Meow

I have just seen your comment in another thread where you said

I'm in financial sevices with a reputable firm

In that case you should know the answer to the question you posed and be advising clients properly.

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lionheart

You are winding us up surely....I have friends living in Cyprus and they tell me that their government will definitely NOT be benefitting from their deaths, Bahrain likewise.

Norm_uk

If questions like that need to be asked on these forums by someone working for a "reputable" firm I would hate to be a client of such a firm...

N.

Meow

Worrying isn't it Norm?

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J0nah

Umm I am confused, do people in financial services give advice on how to write a Will and what should be included? It is rare to hear of a financial advisor that is also a lawyer or legal professional, sounds a bit jack of all trades to me

ArranLass

Exactly Jonah, I'm not a solicitor and do not give legal advice, my advice to all my clients is that they should have a will and to do so through a solicitor who understands the local laws, you will see from other posts that I have said before that people shouldn't rely on advice from a forum over advice from a qualified solicitor, which I'm not. I have just arrived in Bahrain and am getting to grips with the differences. I have been advised in Cyprus by my solicitor there that if I die intestate in Cyprus my assets there would go to the government. I had a will written in Cyprus. I haven't had time to get a solicitor in Bahrain yet but will be doing so.

When I lived in england I had to get a new will as my Scottish will wasn't legal in England.

Some of you are very quick to jump down my throat. I know financial services aren't very popular, with good reason but there's no need to be acusitive, I don't give indepth advice over the forum for obvious reasons, I only mentioned what I do as part of an anecdote to warn someone of risks.

J0nah

I'm new to the forum and was scanning through some of the threads, and thought it was a little harsh to jump down your throat. I am sure everyone has different reasons to be on such forum's, from new expats wanting info etc, chatters and the hawk's that scour on here looking to pick up business by rubbishing some responses and making up bull to promote themselves as 'genuine'.
Don't know much about Bahrain, but there is no such thing as a 'local' Will in Dubai, no matter what people say. Are you Scottish originally by the way, assume thats the reason you had a Will written under Scottish law and not that of England & Wales?
If your English Will is up to date that details your wishes to include your worldwide estate, it will be taken into consideration by Cypriot and the Shariah Courts. Contact your lawyer in the UK, make sure he is aware of your current situation and do all that you can to ensure your estate is distributed in accordance with your wishes and as quickly as possible. I am of course assuming your UK Lawyer knows what he is doing haha!
Good luck in Bahrain by the way.
J0nah

ArranLass

Thanks Jonah, I think it's more worrying that from those comments, some people must think people in financial sevices, which vary enormously, are qualified solicitors! I have never said what it is I do for my company, I'm just here for the banter , from that you can tell that yes, I'm Scottish. I changed my will back to Scotland before I became expat as I own property in Scotland. We had to take legal advice regarding property in Cyprus, so we spoke to an English Cypriot solicitor. My solicitor in Scotland is a lovely woman... But probably need someone with internation expertees now

J0nah

Why is there a seperate law for the Scottish? Is it because you are a lawless bunch, a law unto yourselves....oh and why study Scottish Law, once qualified and practising you'd never get paid.....hang on, its just a one day course as there is no real law to study is there!!!

ArranLass

LOL! Scotland has always kept it's own legal system. I think it take 7 years to fully qualify but don't quote me on that and I have to say I have never met a poor Scottish Lawyer, they're up there with politicians at looking after themselves very well indeed

J0nah

How can you keep your own legal system in a lawless society? What is it 7 years of studying the bottom of a bottle of Bells? I have never met a sober Scottish Lawyer...actually I've never met a Scottish lawyer, so will just say I've never met a sober Scot!!

ArranLass

Don't know where you get the lawless society mate? Scotland had a much lower crime rate than Englandshire and outside the cental belt it's very low indeed! Haven't you noticed that the Uk has been ruled by a bunch of Scottish Lawyers for quite some time? I'm not saying they've done a good job and I'm sure they've all had a tipple from time to time.

I'm Scottish and certainly sober... at the moment

J0nah

I'm not English, we have our own laws where I come from too, although most laws (recent) are based on English law, and have one of the lowest crime rates in Europe - haha the majority of inmates in prison are jonny foreigners, English included but mostly Polish and Portuguese!