Many Kerala NRIs build lives and assets across two jurisdictions — property in Kerala, savings and investments in the UAE (or other Gulf countries), and families with members in both countries. When such an NRI passes away, the estate administration involves two separate legal systems: Indian succession law for the India-side assets, and UAE law (Civil Law or Personal Status Law depending on the emirate and the deceased's religion) for the UAE-side assets. These systems operate independently and simultaneously. Without advance planning — separate Wills for each jurisdiction, properly structured asset ownership, and designated representatives in both countries — the estate administration becomes protracted, expensive and contested.
For detailed guidance on this topic specific to your circumstances, the office is available at luka@lukeandluka.in or +91 96057 61330, Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM IST. Remote consultations — by video call, WhatsApp or email — are available for NRIs and OCI holders in all time zones.