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Countries

	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean	Brazil Latin America	Cayman Islands Central America & Caribbean	Switzerland Europe
Overview	The Bahamas is a Caribbean jurisdiction with structured residency routes including the Economic Permanent Residence and an active fund / family-office sector. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bahamian partners.	Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.	The Cayman Islands is an established offshore financial centre and a long-standing jurisdiction for fund, family-office, and holding structures. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Caymanian partners.	Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss partners for filings.
Best for	HNW Funds Family offices English admin	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	Funds Holding structures HNW English admin	HNW Founders Forfait fiscal Stability
Currency	BSD	BRL	KYD	CHF
Language	English	Portuguese	English	German / French / Italian
Time zone	UTC-5	UTC-3	UTC-5	UTC+1
EU member	No	No	No	No
Schengen	No	No	No	Yes
Residency	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes	Brazilian residency routes: Investor visa (VIPER / VITEM) - qualifying investment in a Brazilian business Digital nomad visa - remote workers Retirement visa - qualifying pension income Family reunification Employer-sponsored work permits	Cayman Islands residency routes: Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means - qualifying investment Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) - operating a qualifying business Work permits for employer-sponsored roles Family routes	Swiss residency routes: Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons Business / investor routes EU / EFTA routes - under FMP Family reunification
Company setup	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.	Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.	Exempted Companies, LLCs, and partnerships are widely used in fund and holding structures. Economic substance rules apply to relevant activities.	GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.
Banking	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.	Banking is mature but selective. Source-of-funds documentation is central. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.
Family	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.	Family reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.	Family inclusion is supported on most residency routes. International schools are concentrated on Grand Cayman.	Family reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.
Risks	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures	Risks Bordercase watches for in Brazil: Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions Document apostille + Portuguese translation	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Cayman Islands: Economic substance reporting and audit Reputational handling around offshore structures KYC tightening across the industry	Risks Bordercase watches for in Switzerland: Quotas for non-EU work permits Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation Banking gatekeeping for non-residents Substance and arm's-length pricing audits
Documents	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Brazilian documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents Proof of income or investment Photographs to specification Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes	Typical Cayman documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents Family certificates for dependents	Typical Swiss residency documents: Passport Employment contract or business plan Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Health insurance valid in Switzerland Financial evidence Apostilled and translated where required.

Bahamas

Central America & Caribbean

Brazil

Latin America

Cayman Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Switzerland

Europe

Overview

The Bahamas is a Caribbean jurisdiction with structured residency routes including the Economic Permanent Residence and an active fund / family-office sector. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bahamian partners.

Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.

The Cayman Islands is an established offshore financial centre and a long-standing jurisdiction for fund, family-office, and holding structures. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Caymanian partners.

Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss partners for filings.

Best for

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

Funds
Holding structures
HNW
English admin

HNW
Founders
Forfait fiscal
Stability

Currency

BSD

BRL

KYD

CHF

Language

English

Portuguese

English

German / French / Italian

Time zone

UTC-5

UTC-3

UTC-5

UTC+1

EU member

Schengen

Yes

Residency

Bahamian residency routes:

Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment
Annual residence permits for HNW
Work permits - employer-sponsored
Family routes

Brazilian residency routes:

Investor visa (VIPER / VITEM) - qualifying investment in a Brazilian business
Digital nomad visa - remote workers
Retirement visa - qualifying pension income
Family reunification
Employer-sponsored work permits

Cayman Islands residency routes:

Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means - qualifying investment
Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) - operating a qualifying business
Work permits for employer-sponsored roles
Family routes

Swiss residency routes:

Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU
Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons
Business / investor routes
EU / EFTA routes - under FMP
Family reunification

Company setup

IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.

Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.

Exempted Companies, LLCs, and partnerships are widely used in fund and holding structures. Economic substance rules apply to relevant activities.

GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.

Banking

Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.

Banking is mature but selective. Source-of-funds documentation is central. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Family

Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.

Family reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.

Family inclusion is supported on most residency routes. International schools are concentrated on Grand Cayman.

Family reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

Risks Bordercase watches for in Brazil:

Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting
Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions
Document apostille + Portuguese translation

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Cayman Islands:

Economic substance reporting and audit
Reputational handling around offshore structures
KYC tightening across the industry

Risks Bordercase watches for in Switzerland:

Quotas for non-EU work permits
Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation
Banking gatekeeping for non-residents
Substance and arm's-length pricing audits

Documents

Typical Bahamian documents:

Passport
Source-of-funds evidence
Health and police clearances
Apostilled foreign documents

Typical Brazilian documents:

Passport
Apostilled foreign documents
Proof of income or investment
Photographs to specification
Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes

Typical Cayman documents:

Passport
Source-of-funds evidence
Health and police clearances
Apostilled foreign documents
Family certificates for dependents

Typical Swiss residency documents:

Passport
Employment contract or business plan
Criminal record certificate
Proof of accommodation
Health insurance valid in Switzerland
Financial evidence

Apostilled and translated where required.