International Probate
Clear, coordinated guidance on cross-border estate administration and probate abroad
When someone passes away with assets in more than one country, the estate administration process becomes significantly more complex. Different legal systems, tax rules and succession laws may apply to different assets, and without coordinated advice, delays and costly mistakes can follow.
Our international probate solicitors manage both the UK and overseas elements of cross-border estates, working alongside trusted foreign lawyers and authorities on your behalf. Whether you are an executor dealing with assets abroad, a family navigating foreign probate for the first time or an overseas lawyer needing UK probate support, we provide step-by-step guidance that keeps things moving.
About International Probate
What is international probate?
International probate is the process of administering an estate where assets are held in more than one country. This might involve a UK resident who owned property overseas, a foreign national with investments or bank accounts in England and Wales, or a family with connections to multiple jurisdictions.
Each country applies its own rules on succession, tax and estate administration. In England and Wales, the law of the deceased’s domicile generally governs how moveable assets such as money and investments are distributed. Immoveable assets such as property are governed by the laws of the country where they are located. These rules can interact in unexpected ways, particularly where forced heirship provisions or foreign matrimonial property regimes apply.
A UK Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration will usually be needed to deal with assets held in England and Wales, even if the deceased lived abroad. Separate legal steps may be required in each overseas jurisdiction where assets are held.
Getting the right advice early helps avoid conflicting instructions between jurisdictions and keeps the administration on track. Our probate and estate administration team works closely with our international probate specialists to provide joined-up support across the full process.
Advice
Do you need international probate advice?
If the estate you are dealing with includes assets outside the UK, or if you are an overseas executor with UK assets to administer, specialist advice is likely to be needed.
Without coordinated legal support:
- Assets may be frozen while different jurisdictions process separate applications at different speeds
- Conflicting succession laws could mean assets do not pass to the people the deceased intended
- Tax liabilities may be duplicated across jurisdictions if double taxation relief is not properly applied
- Documents may be rejected if they are not correctly authenticated, translated or legalised for use abroad
- Delays in one country can hold up the entire administration, leaving beneficiaries waiting for months or years
Even where the international element appears straightforward, the interaction between UK and foreign law can create unexpected complications. Early advice from an international probate solicitor helps you understand what is required in each jurisdiction and plan the most efficient route through the process.
We can help you assess what needs to be done and coordinate the work from start to finish.