Farra is a death administration assistant for UK families. Get step-by-step guidance for registering a death, applying for probate, notifying banks, and managing bereavement admin. From essential documents to practical checklists, Farra simplifies estate paperwork and funeral-related tasks so you can focus on what matters.
Yes. There is no requirement to be UK-resident to apply for probate. As a non-resident executor, you can handle most of the process remotely — but certain steps require specific arrangements, including swearing the oath abroad at a UK notary public or British consulate.
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Before starting the probate process, it is worth confirming that probate is actually required. Not every estate needs it.
Assets held in joint names — a joint bank account or a property owned as joint tenants, for example — pass automatically to the surviving owner by right of survivorship. No probate is needed for these. Small estates where all assets were held solely by the deceased may also fall below the threshold banks set before they require a grant of probate, which is typically £5,000–£50,000 depending on the institution.
Probate is most commonly needed when the deceased owned UK property in their sole name, held bank or investment accounts above the relevant threshold, or owned shares registered solely in their name.
For a full breakdown of when probate is and is not required, see our guide: Do you need probate in the UK?
Any individual named as executor in a valid UK will can take on that role, regardless of where they live or their nationality. There is no legal requirement to be a UK citizen or UK resident to apply for probate.
Foreign nationals are equally entitled to act as executor. Executors based in Australia, the USA, Singapore, Canada, the UAE, or anywhere else have the same legal standing as those based in the UK.
Where the deceased died without a will (intestate), the nearest relative is typically entitled to apply for letters of administration rather than a grant of probate. The same principles apply — residence and nationality are not barriers.
Multiple executors
If there are multiple executors named in the will, not all of them need to apply. One or more can apply whilst others formally reserve their power (known as ‘power reserved’). This is a useful option if some executors are overseas and one is based in the UK.
The probate process for an overseas executor follows the same fundamental steps as for a UK-based executor, but with some additional logistical arrangements at each stage.
You will need the original death certificate (or certified copies — order at least five), the original will, and your own identification documents. If the death was registered in England or Wales, you can order additional certified copies of the death certificate from the General Register Office by post or online.
If documents need to travel internationally, use tracked and insured courier services. Never send original documents via standard post.
You need an accurate valuation of all UK assets as at the date of death. For UK property, you can instruct a local UK estate agent or RICS-qualified surveyor remotely — most will conduct a valuation and send a written report without you needing to be present.
For UK bank and investment accounts, write to each institution with a copy of the death certificate and request a date-of-death valuation. Most banks will provide this by post or email. Keep records of all valuations as they will be needed for the IHT forms.
For simple estates below the inheritance tax nil-rate band (£325,000, or up to £500,000 with the residence nil-rate band), you complete form IHT205. For larger or more complex estates — including those where tax is due — you must complete form IHT400 along with any relevant supplementary schedules.
The IHT400 deadline is 6 months from the date of death. Missing this deadline results in interest charges and potential penalties. If in doubt, submit early even if the figures are provisional.
This is the step that most distinguishes overseas executors from UK-based ones. You must swear or affirm the executor's oath in person — it cannot be done remotely or via a video call.
Your options are:
You will need to bring the original will and the death certificate to the appointment. The fee is typically £50–£150.
The probate application (form PA1P if there is a will, or PA1A if there is no will) can be submitted online via the MyHMCTS portal or by post to the Probate Registry. Online applications are generally faster to process.
You will need to pay the £300 court fee (for estates over £5,000) at the time of application. This can be paid by debit or credit card online, or by cheque if applying by post.
Once the Probate Registry has processed your application — which takes roughly 6–12 weeks — they will issue the grant of probate and return the original will. Order multiple certified copies of the grant (at £1.50 each) at the time of application. You will need to send copies to banks, the Land Registry, and other institutions when collecting assets.
With the grant in hand, you can close bank accounts, transfer or sell property, claim insurance payouts, and distribute assets to beneficiaries — all from abroad. Property sales require appointing a UK conveyancing solicitor. Many banks accept instructions by post or email. Allow more time than you would if you were based in the UK, as postal correspondence with UK institutions can be slow.
The executor's oath is a formal sworn statement confirming that the information in the probate application is true and that you undertake to administer the estate faithfully. It must be sworn in person before an authorised official.
A common source of confusion is the difference between a UK notary public and a local notary in your country. These are different qualifications. A UK notary public (sometimes called a Commonwealth notary) is qualified to administer oaths for English and Welsh legal proceedings. Many countries have practitioners who hold this qualification alongside or instead of local notarial qualifications.
UK notaries can be found in major cities in Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the UAE, Canada, the USA, South Africa, and many European countries. The Notaries Society maintains a directory. If you cannot find a UK notary in your location, the nearest British Consulate or High Commission will also administer the oath.
The original will must travel
The oath must be sworn on the original will — not a copy. If you do not yet have the original will, contact the solicitor who drafted it or the National Will Register. If using a British Consulate, contact them in advance as some require you to send certified copies of the will ahead of your appointment rather than bring the original.
⚠ Important
A local notary in your country who is not qualified as a UK notary public cannot administer the executor's oath for English and Welsh probate purposes. Using the wrong official will delay your application. Always confirm the practitioner's qualification before making an appointment.
British Consulates typically charge a consular fee for administering oaths — check the current fee schedule on the GOV.UK consular services pages before your appointment. Appointments can sometimes take several weeks to become available at busy posts, so book early.
The inheritance tax rules are the same whether the executor is based in the UK or overseas. What changes is the practical challenge of meeting deadlines and paying the tax when you do not have direct access to UK bank accounts.
IHT400 must be submitted to HMRC within 6 months of the date of death. If the death occurred on 15 January, the deadline is 15 July. Interest accrues on any unpaid tax from the 6-month anniversary of death onwards, regardless of whether probate has been granted.
This creates a chicken-and-egg problem. You need probate to access the deceased's bank accounts, but you need to pay the tax before probate is granted. There are two main solutions:
HMRC requires a UK bank account for repayments
If HMRC owes the estate a refund (for example, if the estate is later valued lower than originally declared), HMRC will only repay to a UK bank account. If the estate has no UK account remaining open at that point, you will need to arrange one. This is a frequently overlooked issue for overseas executors.
For a full explanation of inheritance tax rates, thresholds, and exemptions, see our UK inheritance tax guide 2026/27.
Instructing a UK probate solicitor is entirely optional for most estates, but it becomes a more sensible option when you are managing things from abroad and the estate is not straightforward.
Typical cost: £300–£800 (court fees + valuations + death certificates)
Typical cost: £2,000–£5,000+ depending on complexity
A UK probate solicitor can handle the entire process on your behalf — from valuing the estate to distributing assets — with minimal input required from you. Many are accustomed to working with overseas executors and can manage document signing by post or with electronic signatures where permitted.
For more detail on the costs and process of applying for probate, see how to apply for probate in the UK and our complete UK probate guide 2026.
If you are finding it difficult to manage the practical side of estate administration from overseas, you can grant a power of attorney to someone in the UK to act on your behalf for specific tasks.
Important limitation: a person holding your power of attorney cannot apply for probate in your name. The probate application must be made by the executor personally. However, once probate is granted and you have the authority, you can then instruct an attorney to deal with banks, manage the property, handle post, and carry out other practical tasks on your behalf.
A power of attorney granted abroad may need to be apostilled (a form of international certification) before UK institutions will accept it. Check with each institution in advance, as requirements vary.
These are the issues that most commonly cause delays and complications for executors managing UK probate from abroad.
Missing the IHT400 deadline
The 6-month deadline from date of death is easy to miss when you're dealing with grief, time-zone differences, and postal delays. Calendar the deadline immediately on being notified of the death. Even if the estate is not taxable, HMRC must still be notified via IHT205 in most cases.
Not ordering enough death certificate copies
Each institution — bank, building society, investment platform, pension provider — typically requires its own certified copy. Order at least eight to ten copies at the outset. Additional copies can be ordered later from the GRO, but this adds weeks of delay.
Assuming a local notary can administer the executor's oath
A local notary in your country is not automatically qualified to administer oaths for English and Welsh probate purposes. You need either a UK notary public or a British Consulate. Confirm qualifications before booking any appointment.
Forgetting that HMRC requires a UK bank account for repayments
If HMRC owes the estate money — because the estate was overvalued, for example — it can only make payments to a UK bank account. Keep at least one UK account open throughout the administration, even if it holds a minimal balance.
Underestimating timescales
UK institutions are not accustomed to the pace of digital communication that overseas executors may expect. Many banks and solicitors still communicate primarily by post. Build in additional weeks for every stage of the process.
Was the deceased also a non-UK resident?
If the deceased lived outside the UK, different inheritance tax rules may apply depending on their domicile status. See our companion guide: UK inheritance tax when the deceased was a non-UK resident.
Closing UK bank accounts from abroad
Once you have the grant of probate, you will need to contact each UK bank and building society to close accounts and transfer funds. See our guide: how to close UK bank accounts after a death from abroad.
Yes. Residency and nationality are irrelevant to your legal entitlement to act as executor. Any person named in a valid UK will can take on the role. The practical steps — particularly swearing the oath — simply need to be arranged through appropriate channels overseas.
No. The entire probate application can be submitted online or by post from abroad. The executor's oath must be sworn in person, but this can be done at a UK notary public or British Consulate in your own country.
Expect the process from submitting your application to receiving the grant to take 12–20 weeks, compared to 8–16 weeks for UK-based executors. Allow additional time at every stage for postal delays and institutional processing times. If inheritance tax is due, the overall timeline extends further.
IHT400 must be submitted within 6 months of death, and at least some tax must be paid before probate is granted. If you can't access estate funds, use the HMRC Direct Payment Scheme — most UK banks will pay inheritance tax directly from the deceased's account to HMRC on your instruction.
A local solicitor in your country cannot apply for UK probate on your behalf — only a UK-qualified solicitor or the executor personally can do this. However, a local lawyer can assist with notarisation, document preparation, and advice on any local tax implications.
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