{"id":2408,"date":"2026-11-12T03:56:43","date_gmt":"2026-11-12T03:56:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/executor-outside-bc\/"},"modified":"2026-11-12T03:56:43","modified_gmt":"2026-11-12T03:56:43","slug":"executor-outside-bc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lawgicalcorp.com\/blog\/executor-outside-bc\/","title":{"rendered":"Executor living outside BC: probate, resealing and foreign grants"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a>, lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation \u00b7 Reviewed November 11, 2026<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal is a lawyer at Lawgical Law Corporation, called to the BC bar in 2024, and a member of the Law Society of British Columbia<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Updated November 11, 2026: the Wills, Estates and Succession Act (ss. 128, 138, 139) checked that day.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Can a non-resident be executor?<\/strong> Yes. An executor doesn’t need to live in BC to apply for probate here.<\/p>\n

Grant from elsewhere?<\/strong> A grant from another province or territory, a US state, a Commonwealth country or Hong Kong can be resealed in BC (WESA s. 138).<\/p>\n

Watch:<\/strong> affidavits signed abroad must be sworn before the right person, and tax rules can change when an executor lives outside Canada.<\/p>\n

Which situation applies<\/a> \u00b7 Book a consultation<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The lawyers who handle these estate files<\/p>\n

\"SundeepSundeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a>\"PardeepPardeep S. Grewal<\/span>Barrister and Solicitor<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n
\nAbout our lawyers<\/summary>\n
\n

Sundeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> founded Lawgical Law Corporation and practises probate, estate litigation and immigration. He has represented clients in the Provincial and Supreme Courts of British Columbia, from chambers applications to contested trials.<\/p>\n

Pardeep S. Grewal<\/a><\/strong> is a probate, estates and immigration lawyer known for clear communication and practical strategy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

Families are spread across provinces and countries, so executors often live outside BC. An executor named in a will doesn’t need to live in BC to apply for probate here; the application is done largely on paper, with affidavits sworn wherever the executor is. Where the deceased lived elsewhere and a grant was already issued there, it may be possible to reseal that grant in BC instead of starting again. Resealing is available for grants from other Canadian provinces and territories, US states, Commonwealth countries and Hong Kong. Grants from other countries need an ancillary grant or an application by the foreign executor’s attorney. Two practical points matter most: affidavits signed outside BC must be sworn before someone the Evidence Act recognizes, and an executor living outside Canada should get tax advice, because where the executor lives can affect how the estate is taxed.<\/p>\n

Lawgical Law Corporation<\/a>, a probate and estate law firm with offices in Surrey<\/a>, Abbotsford<\/a> and Vancouver, BC, acts for executors in other provinces and abroad who need a BC grant; this guide is by Pardeep S. Grewal.<\/p>\n

Which situation applies<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Common out-of-province situations<\/caption>\n
Situation<\/th>\nUsual route<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Deceased lived in BC; executor lives elsewhere<\/td>\nA normal BC probate application by the executor<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deceased lived in another province, US state, Commonwealth country or Hong Kong, with a grant there, and left BC assets<\/td>\nReseal the foreign grant in BC (WESA s. 138(1))<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Deceased lived in a country whose grants can’t be resealed<\/td>\nAncillary grant to the foreign personal representative (s. 138(4)), or a grant to their attorney (s. 139)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Executors who live outside BC<\/h2>\n