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Bordercase

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Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

Pick up to 4 countries and see residency, company, banking, family, and risk notes line up. No prices, no marketing packages - just the working notes.

 AG flagAntigua and Barbuda

Central America & Caribbean

BG flagBulgaria

Europe

PA flagPanama

Central America & Caribbean

OverviewAntigua and Barbuda is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a long-standing Citizenship by Investment programme and structured residency / corporate options. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.Bulgaria is an EU member state with competitive corporate tax, structured residency routes, and a well-developed digital infrastructure. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bulgarian partners for filings.Panama is a long-established jurisdiction for residency and offshore company structures with a stable USD economy. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Panamanian lawyers and corporate-services partners.
Best for
  • Second passport
  • English admin
  • Caribbean residency
  • Founders
  • EU access
  • Cost of living
  • Second residency
  • USD economy
  • Asset planning
  • Holding structures
CurrencyXCDBGN / EUR transitionUSD
LanguageEnglishBulgarianSpanish
Time zoneUTC-4UTC+2UTC-5
EU memberNoYesNo
SchengenNoYesNo
Residency

Antigua & Barbuda routes:

  • Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or qualifying real-estate investment
  • Standard work permits
  • Family routes including spouse, dependent children and parents under conditions

Bulgarian residency routes:

  • Employment-based residence
  • Business / self-employment routes
  • Retirement / pensioner residency
  • Family reunification
  • EU citizen-derivative routes

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

Panama residency routes:

  • Friendly Nations Visa - now requires economic tie (employment, real estate, or investment)
  • Qualified Investor Visa - qualifying investment thresholds
  • Pensionado / Retiree Visa - qualifying pension income
  • Family routes
Company setup

IBCs are common in international structures. Reporting and substance frameworks have tightened.

OOD (LLC) and EOOD (single-shareholder LLC) are common structures. Formation is well-documented. Corporate tax is at a flat rate; VAT registration depends on activity.

Panamanian corporations (SA) and Private Interest Foundations are widely used. Beneficial ownership reporting, CRS / FATCA compliance, and substance discussions have become material; planning must reflect current standards.

Banking

Banking is selective. KYC and source-of-funds documentation are central. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

Panamanian banking has tightened KYC and source-of-funds requirements. Non-resident applications take time; Bordercase coordinates introductions through current banking partners.

Family

CBI applications can include qualifying dependents under conditions.

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.

Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English-language and Spanish) are available in Panama City.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for:

  • Programme parameters change
  • Due diligence has tightened
  • Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented

Risks Bordercase watches for in Bulgaria:

  • Tax residency triggers
  • VAT classification on cross-border services
  • Processing variations between regions
  • Euro adoption is in progress - operational planning needed

Risks Bordercase watches for in Panama:

  • Reputational / de-banking risks for poorly structured offshore-only setups
  • Tax residency analysis for clients with other obligations (CRS / FATCA)
  • Processing delays at Migration
  • UBO reporting is now active
Documents

Typical CBI documents:

  • Passport
  • Due diligence questionnaires
  • Source-of-funds evidence (extensive)
  • Family certificates with apostille and translation

Typical Bulgarian residency documents:

  • Passport
  • Criminal record certificate
  • Proof of address
  • Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.)
  • Health insurance
  • Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Bulgarian.

Typical Panama documents:

  • Passport
  • Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
  • Proof of economic tie (employment letter, property deed, or investment evidence)
  • Proof of address
  • Marriage / birth certificates for family

All documents apostilled and translated where required.

Country pages stay the authoritative source. This view is a side-by-side; nothing here promises a particular outcome.