Important: For general educational information only. This is not legal, tax or financial advice, and reading it does not create a professional-client relationship. Laws and procedures vary by jurisdiction and can change. Consult a qualified professional in each place relevant to you and your assets before making decisions.
Read the local Act before using a generic checklist
The Antigua and Barbuda Wills Act’s contents identify a rule that a will is to be in writing and signed by the testator in the presence of two witnesses at one time. That is a useful prompt to ask a qualified local professional about the actual document and its circumstances; it is not a complete validity test, and the Act’s contents also list other provisions and exceptions.
Do not take the short contents entry as a conclusion about a particular signature, witness, later alteration, revocation, capacity question, or document made abroad. The linked primary text should be read with current amendments and the facts of the will.
Questions to bring to an adviser
- Is the document an original will, a copy, or a later version?
- What does the complete current Act say about the particular execution circumstances?
- Has local counsel considered any changes, witnesses, or foreign connections?
After a death, distinguish the will from the court grant
A separate Antigua and Barbuda statutory instrument sets out Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court non-contentious probate and administration rules. Its contents distinguish applications for probate from letters of administration with a will annexed and describe where applications are made and who may apply. Those are court-process categories, not a determination of who is entitled to inherit.
The will-making statute and the court’s grant rules answer different questions. A family should avoid assuming that a will alone completes administration or that a probate checklist resolves ownership, tax, or a disagreement.
Questions to bring to an adviser
- Is the family asking about making a will or applying for a grant after a death?
- Which original records and court instructions does the registry require now?
- Does any disagreement or asset outside Antigua and Barbuda require separate advice?
Keep the island and cross-border scope clear
This guide concerns Antigua and Barbuda and the two linked national sources only. It does not compare registry practice on Antigua and Barbuda, determine whether a particular instrument is valid, address taxes or beneficial ownership, or explain procedures in another Eastern Caribbean state.
Questions to bring to an adviser
- Where are the person’s residence, property, original will, and other estate records?
- Is local advice needed in another country connected to the estate?
Limits and local counsel
This guide has not been reviewed by a lawyer or human editor. It is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or filing advice, and it does not decide whether a will is valid or a grant is required. Consult qualified local counsel in Antigua and Barbuda, and in every other relevant jurisdiction, before acting.
Official starting points
Check these sources for updates; their guidance may have changed since our last source check.
This guide cannot determine which rules apply to you. Speak with a qualified professional in each jurisdiction relevant to your family and assets.