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Countries

	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Mauritius Africa	Saint Lucia Central America & Caribbean
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.	The British Virgin Islands is a long-standing jurisdiction for BVI Business Companies used in international structures. Substance and reporting have tightened materially. Bordercase coordinates with licensed BVI partners.	Mauritius is a stable jurisdiction with structured residency and corporate routes, often combined for international families and founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mauritian partners.	Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.
Best for	HNW Funds Family offices English admin	Holding structures International funds English admin	Founders Banking Trust HNW English admin	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency
Currency	BSD	USD	MUR	XCD
Language	English	English	English / French	English
Time zone	UTC-5	UTC-4	UTC+4	UTC-4
EU member	No	No	No	No
Schengen	No	No	No	No
Residency	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	Mauritius residency routes: Premium Visa - remote work Occupation Permit - investor / professional / self-employed Residence Permit by property purchase - within approved schemes Family routes	Saint Lucia routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes
Company setup	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.	GBC (Global Business Company) and Domestic Companies are the standard structures. Substance requirements following OECD reforms must be considered; the GBC framework has evolved materially.	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.
Banking	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Local banks support resident and corporate accounts; KYC and source-of-funds requirements are real. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.	Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.
Family	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family inclusion is supported. International schools are available in major regions.	CBI can include qualifying dependents.
Risks	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures	Risks Bordercase watches for in the BVI: Economic substance reporting UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform Reputational handling around offshore structures	Risks Bordercase watches for in Mauritius: Substance reform impacts on Global Business Companies FATCA / CRS reporting on related accounts Mauritian residency vs physical-presence-based tax residence elsewhere Banking introductions vary by activity	Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented
Documents	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents	Typical BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Mauritius documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of income / investment Health insurance Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family Apostille where required.	Typical CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation

Bahamas

Central America & Caribbean

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Mauritius

Africa

Saint Lucia

Central America & Caribbean

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.

The British Virgin Islands is a long-standing jurisdiction for BVI Business Companies used in international structures. Substance and reporting have tightened materially. Bordercase coordinates with licensed BVI partners.

Mauritius is a stable jurisdiction with structured residency and corporate routes, often combined for international families and founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mauritian partners.

Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.

Best for

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Founders
Banking
Trust
HNW
English admin

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Currency

BSD

USD

MUR

XCD

Language

English

English / French

English

Time zone

UTC-5

UTC-4

UTC+4

UTC-4

EU member

Schengen

Residency

Bahamian residency routes:

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

BVI presence options:

Work permits - employer-sponsored
Residency for HNW under specific programmes
Limited tourist / business visit arrangements

Mauritius residency routes:

Premium Visa - remote work
Occupation Permit - investor / professional / self-employed
Residence Permit by property purchase - within approved schemes
Family routes

Saint Lucia routes:

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment
Standard work permits
Family routes

Company setup

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

BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.

GBC (Global Business Company) and Domestic Companies are the standard structures. Substance requirements following OECD reforms must be considered; the GBC framework has evolved materially.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

Banking

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

Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Local banks support resident and corporate accounts; KYC and source-of-funds requirements are real. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.

Family

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

Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.

Family inclusion is supported. International schools are available in major regions.

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

Risks Bordercase watches for in the BVI:

Economic substance reporting
UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform
Reputational handling around offshore structures

Risks Bordercase watches for in Mauritius:

Substance reform impacts on Global Business Companies
FATCA / CRS reporting on related accounts
Mauritian residency vs physical-presence-based tax residence elsewhere
Banking introductions vary by activity

Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia:

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

Documents

Typical Bahamian documents:

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

Typical BVI documents:

Passport
Source-of-funds evidence
KYC for all UBOs
Apostilled foreign documents

Typical Mauritius documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of income / investment
Health insurance
Accommodation evidence
Marriage / birth certificates for family

Apostille where required.

Typical CBI documents:

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