继承与家族资产Published2026-08-17
Drafting a Cross-Border-Valid Will: Key Elements
Property spans China and abroad? A will written in one country may fail in another. Learn validity essentials, asset mapping, executor choice, and conflict risks.
如何制定一份「跨境有效」的遗嘱？
你在国内有房产和公司股权，在美国、香港还有账户和一套房。你担心万一自己先走，继承人光在两地来回跑证明、公证，就可能折腾大半年；更要命的是，一份只按中国习惯写、又没按外国形式做的遗嘱，可能在海外被认定为无效或"只算部分有效"。跨境遗嘱最怕的不是没写，而是"写了但在他国不认"。与其让家人日后收拾烂摊子，不如现在就把几件关键事做对。
第一步：想清楚遗嘱要"管哪些法域"
- 先盘点全部资产及所在地：中国境内（房产、股权、存款）＋境外（海外房产、账户、公司股份、保险）；
- 中外的继承适用法律规则不同：在中国，不动产继承适用不动产所在地法，动产适用被继承人住所地法；在普通法国家则可能有遗嘱形式、动产/不动产分割的另外一套规则；
- 结论：一份"跨境有效"的遗嘱，通常要对中国境内与海外资产分别满足各自的形式与实质要求。
第二步：把资产与受益人列得具体
- 列明每一类资产的所在地、权属文件所在处，方便继承人日后查找与过户；
- 明确受益人、份额与替代顺序（若有受益人死亡或放弃，由谁承接）；
- 涉及未成年子女、再婚家庭或境外受益人的，单独说明给付安排，避免日后歧义。
第三步：选择合适的形式与执行人
- 中国境内部分可采用符合《中华人民共和国民法典》规定的自书/代书/打印/公证遗嘱等形式；涉及海外认可的，需关注当地对遗嘱形式（如见证人数、签名方式）的要求；
- 指定可信的遗嘱执行人/遗产管理人，负责清单整理、公证、过户与税务申报；
- 若资产在普通法国家，往往还需要按当地程序办理遗嘱认证（probate），执行人应与当地律师协同。
第四步：评估冲突法与更新机制
- 提前评估将来居住地、资产所在地变化对遗嘱效力的影响，必要时做多份并行遗嘱（国内/国外分开）并由专业人士衔接，避免"最后遗嘱"互相覆盖的混乱；
- 重要事项（婚姻、再婚、重大资产变动）变动后及时更新或补签，注明日期与地点。
第一步至第四步的时间与费用预期
| 环节 |
经验周期 |
主要成本 |
| 资产盘点与方案设计 |
1–4周 |
咨询/顾问费 |
| 草拟并签署遗嘱 |
2–6周 |
律师代书费/公证费 |
| 海外部分配套评估 |
视法域2–8周 |
当地律师费 |
| 日后更新/补充 |
按需 |
按次收费 |
以上为经验区间，个案情况不同——我们不承诺结果，但一份"他国能认"的遗嘱，本身就是最省钱的传承安排。
风险提示
- 不要只做一份"通用模板"遗嘱，跨境场景下模板最容易被某个法域挑出形式瑕疵；
- 不要以为国内公证遗嘱在海外当然有效——海外看的是当地形式要求；
- 涉及难确定的法律适用，不要自行拍板，务必以相关国家法律及专业意见为准；
- 遗嘱要做好保密与保管，同时告诉执行人文件在哪，避免"有遗嘱但拿不出来"。
如果您需要起草一份跨境有效的遗嘱，请提交信息，我们可结合您的资产所在地协助设计方案：
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本文为一般法律信息，不构成法律意见。具体案件请以咨询为准。
Drafting a Cross-Border-Valid Will: Key Elements
You hold property and company shares in China and also have accounts and an apartment in the US and Hong Kong. If you pass away first, you worry your heirs could spend months shuttling between two jurisdictions over proof and notarization — and worse, a will written only in Chinese style, without the foreign formalities, may be invalid or only partially recognized abroad. The biggest risk in a cross-border will is not failing to write one; it is writing one that another country will not recognize. It is far better to get the key things right now than to leave your family a mess later.
Step 1: decide which jurisdictions the will must cover
- First inventory all assets and their locations: within China (property, equity, deposits) and abroad (overseas property, accounts, company shares, insurance);
- Conflict-of-law rules differ: in China, succession to immovable property follows the law of the property's location, while movables follow the law of the deceased's domicile; common-law countries apply their own rules on will formalities and division of movable/immovable assets;
- Conclusion: a "cross-border-valid" will generally must satisfy the formality and substance requirements of each relevant jurisdiction separately.
Step 2: be specific about assets and beneficiaries
- List each asset, its location, and where the title documents are kept, so heirs can locate and transfer them later;
- Set out beneficiaries, shares, and substitution order (who takes over if a beneficiary dies or disclaims);
- For minor children, blended families, or beneficiaries abroad, state the payment arrangements expressly to avoid ambiguity.
Step 3: choose the right form and executor
- For the China portion, use a form recognized under the PRC Civil Code (holographic, attested, typed, or notarized wills). For foreign recognition, attend to the local formalities (number of witnesses, signing method, etc.);
- Appoint a trusted executor / estate administrator to handle inventory, notarization, transfer, and tax filings;
- In common-law jurisdictions, probate is usually required, so the executor should work with local counsel.
Step 4: assess conflict-of-law issues and an updating mechanism
- Anticipate how changes in residence or asset location affect validity; where useful, create parallel wills (domestic and overseas separately) coordinated by professionals to avoid one "last will" unintentionally overriding another;
- Update or re-execute after major life events (marriage, remarriage, significant asset changes), dating and locating each version clearly.
Time and cost expectations
| Stage |
Typical timeline |
Main costs |
| Asset inventory and plan design |
1–4 weeks |
Advisory/consulting fees |
| Drafting and execution of the will |
2–6 weeks |
Counsel drafting/notarization fees |
| Overseas portion review |
2–8 weeks, jurisdiction-dependent |
Local counsel fees |
| Later updates/amendments |
As needed |
Per-amendment fees |
These are experience ranges and cases differ — we do not promise outcomes, but a will that another country will recognize is itself the most cost-effective succession arrangement.
Key risks
- Do not rely on a generic "template" will — in cross-border cases templates are most vulnerable to form defects in some jurisdiction;
- Do not assume a Chinese notarized will is automatically valid abroad — foreign courts look to their own formality rules;
- Do not decide uncertain choice-of-law questions on your own; local law and professional advice of the relevant countries should govern;
- Safeguard the will confidentially and tell your executor where it is, to avoid a will that exists but cannot be produced.
If you need a cross-border-valid will drafted, submit your details and we can help design a plan based on where your assets are located:
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This article is general information, not legal advice.
FAQ
中国公民继承美国房产需要走什么程序？
通常须经遗嘱认证（Probate），中国公证文件不能直接替代当地程序，需当地律师办理。
外国人能在泰国继承房产吗？
外国人通常不能直接持有泰国土地，房产继承有特殊规则，需当地律师个案处理。