Originally published: October 3, 2014 | Last updated: December 28, 2025
What Is an International Will?
An International Will is a Last Will and Testament created under the “Convention Providing a Uniform Law on the Form of an International Will,” also known as the Washington Convention of 1973. The convention established minimum formal requirements for a Will to be legally accepted across all signatory jurisdictions through the Uniform International Wills Act.
The goal was to allow a person to create a single Will that would be recognized across borders, eliminating the need for multiple jurisdiction-specific documents.
What Are the Requirements for an International Will?
According to the Uniform International Wills Act, a valid International Will must:
- Be made in writing (it need not be written by the testator personally)
- Be written in any language
- Be signed and dated in the presence of two witnesses
- Be declared as the testator’s Will before an authorized person
Which Countries Accept the International Will?
Adoption has been limited. The International Will is currently accepted only in: Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada (except British Columbia and Quebec), Cyprus, Ecuador, France, Italy, Libya, Niger, Portugal, Slovenia, and 23 US states.
Notably absent from this list are the United Kingdom, Australia, most of Asia, Africa, and South America — meaning the International Will fails to provide universal coverage.
Why Is the International Will Not Recommended for Expats?
Despite its intended purpose, the International Will has significant limitations:
| Limitation | Explanation |
|---|---|
| No content requirements | The convention addresses only the form of the Will, not its content. It does not specify what clauses to include. |
| Missing essential clauses | A well-drafted Will needs 20+ clauses covering executor powers, trusts, alternate plans, and residual beneficiaries. The International Will framework does not address any of this. |
| Jurisdiction-specific laws ignored | Different countries have different rules about disinheriting spouses, bequests to minors, and disposition of real estate. An International Will cannot account for these variations. |
| Limited signatory countries | Most countries have not signed the convention, so the Will would not be accepted in their courts. |
| Language barriers | While the Will can be written in any language, many courts require documents in the local language for probate. |
Key Takeaway
The International Will addresses the form of a Will (how it should be formatted and witnessed) but not the substance (what it should contain). For expats, the content of the Will — trusts, powers, alternate plans — is where the complexity lies.
What Is the Better Alternative for Expats?
The recommended approach is to create multiple complementary Wills, one for each country where you hold assets. Each Will should:
- Be written under the laws of the specific jurisdiction where the assets are located
- Deal exclusively with assets in that jurisdiction
- Not revoke Wills written for other countries
- Include all necessary clauses for that jurisdiction’s legal requirements
At ExpatLegalWills.com, you can create jurisdiction-specific Wills for the US, Canada, or UK from anywhere in the world. Each Will is designed to complement any other Wills you may have, with no risk of one canceling the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an International Will valid in the UK?
No. The United Kingdom has not signed the Washington Convention, so an International Will is not recognized by UK probate courts. You need a Will written specifically under English and Welsh law to cover UK assets.
Can one International Will cover assets in multiple countries?
In theory, yes — but only in signatory countries, and even then it would lack the jurisdiction-specific content needed for proper estate administration. Separate, well-drafted Wills for each jurisdiction are far more effective.
What is the difference between an International Will and an Expat Will?
An International Will follows a standardized format under the Washington Convention but has limited acceptance and no content requirements. An Expat Will from ExpatLegalWills.com is a full, jurisdiction-specific Will that complies with local laws and is designed to work alongside Wills in other countries.
He has over 20 years of experience helping people to write their Will and other estate planning documents. He has been interviewed by many of the major news media outlets and has contributed to articles in most leading publications. He has also contributed to a number of financial planning books.
Throughout his career, Tim has written extensively on the subject of Will writing and estate planning.
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