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Countries

	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Switzerland Europe	Cyprus 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.	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.	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.	Cyprus is an EU member state with established routes for residency, company setup, and family relocation. Bordercase coordinates with regulated Cypriot lawyers and corporate-services providers for filings and ongoing compliance.
Best for	HNW Funds Family offices English admin	Holding structures International funds English admin	HNW Founders Forfait fiscal Stability	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin
Currency	BSD	USD	CHF	EUR
Language	English	English	German / French / Italian	Greek / English
Time zone	UTC-5	UTC-4	UTC+1	UTC+2
EU member	No	No	No	Yes
Schengen	No	No	Yes	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	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	Cyprus residency routes: Permanent residency by investment (Cat F / Cat 6.2) Digital Nomad Visa Employment routes (including the international headquartering route) Family reunification The investor citizenship programme is closed.
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.	GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.	Cyprus Limited companies are widely used by international groups for IP, holding, and trading structures. Substance, local director, and accounting requirements have tightened in recent years and must be planned at setup.
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.	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.	Cypriot banks have strict KYC and source-of-funds processes following past compliance episodes. EMIs are widely used as supplements. Personal and corporate banking introductions go through vetted 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 reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.	Family reunification is available on most routes. English-language schools (public and private) and healthcare options are widely accessible to legal residents.
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 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	Common pitfalls in Cyprus cases: Post-reform substance requirements underestimated Banking timelines longer than expected Permanent residency confused with citizenship (different programmes) Some sectors face additional KYC scrutiny
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 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.	Typical document pack for Cyprus residency: Passport Criminal record certificate (apostilled) Proof of income / investment Health insurance valid in Cyprus Accommodation evidence Education certificates (for relevant routes) Marriage / birth certificates for family routes For company formation: business plan, ownership-chain documents, and KYC for all ultimate beneficial owners.

Bahamas

Central America & Caribbean

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Switzerland

Europe

Cyprus

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.

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.

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.

Cyprus is an EU member state with established routes for residency, company setup, and family relocation. Bordercase coordinates with regulated Cypriot lawyers and corporate-services providers for filings and ongoing compliance.

Best for

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

HNW
Founders
Forfait fiscal
Stability

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Currency

BSD

USD

CHF

EUR

Language

English

German / French / Italian

Greek / English

Time zone

UTC-5

UTC-4

UTC+1

UTC+2

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

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

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

Cyprus residency routes:

Permanent residency by investment (Cat F / Cat 6.2)
Digital Nomad Visa
Employment routes (including the international headquartering route)
Family reunification

The investor citizenship programme is closed.

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.

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

Cyprus Limited companies are widely used by international groups for IP, holding, and trading structures. Substance, local director, and accounting requirements have tightened in recent years and must be planned at setup.

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.

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.

Cypriot banks have strict KYC and source-of-funds processes following past compliance episodes. EMIs are widely used as supplements. Personal and corporate banking introductions go through vetted 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 reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.

Family reunification is available on most routes. English-language schools (public and private) and healthcare options are widely accessible to legal residents.

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 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

Common pitfalls in Cyprus cases:

Post-reform substance requirements underestimated
Banking timelines longer than expected
Permanent residency confused with citizenship (different programmes)
Some sectors face additional KYC scrutiny

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 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.

Typical document pack for Cyprus residency:

Passport
Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
Proof of income / investment
Health insurance valid in Cyprus
Accommodation evidence
Education certificates (for relevant routes)
Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

For company formation: business plan, ownership-chain documents, and KYC for all ultimate beneficial owners.