Practice Areas
Inheritance & Estate Distribution
Inheritance in Egypt begins with a formal declaration of heirs before assets can be transferred or divided. We handle the full estate process, including cases involving foreign heirs of Egyptian assets.
What the service covers
Declaration of heirs, estate inventory, distribution of Egyptian assets and cross-border inheritance for foreign heirs.
- Declaration of heirs (إعلام وراثة)
- Estate inventory and asset tracing
- Division lawsuits and partition of property
- Inheritance of Egyptian assets by foreign heirs
How we handle it
- 1
Filing the declaration of heirs (إعلام وراثة)
- 2
Estate inventory and asset tracing
- 3
Negotiated or litigated partition of the estate
- 4
Registration of inherited shares in the heirs' names
Common risks to watch for
- Foreign heirs often discover that Egyptian movable/immovable rules apply differently than their home law expects.
- Distributing an estate before the inheritance declaration (إعلام الوراثة) exposes heirs to personal liability.
- Real estate in Egypt passes under Egyptian law regardless of the deceased's nationality.
Frequently asked questions
What is إعلام وراثة and why is it needed?
It is a court-issued declaration listing the legal heirs and their shares under the applicable inheritance rules, required before any bank, registry or authority releases the deceased's assets.
Can a foreign heir inherit property located in Egypt?
Yes, foreign heirs can generally inherit Egyptian assets, though certain categories of property may involve additional procedural requirements that we verify case by case.
What happens if heirs cannot agree on dividing an inherited property?
Any heir can file a partition lawsuit before the competent court, which will divide the property in kind or order its sale and distribution of proceeds.
Clients with this matter often also need: marriage lawyer for foreigners in Cairo, family lawyer in Cairo for divorce, custody and alimony, real estate contract drafting and review in Cairo.
Need a trusted lawyer in Cairo?
A confidential consultation with Mohamed Ashraf Hosny — Tahrir Square office, in front of the Cabinet.