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Countries

	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean	Germany Europe	Italy Europe	Serbia 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.	Germany is the largest EU economy and a strong destination for skilled professionals, founders, and remote workers (under specific routes). Bordercase coordinates with licensed German partners for filings.	Italy offers EU residency routes for self-employed, entrepreneurs, retirees, and recently a digital nomad / remote worker route. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Italian partners for filings and tax planning.	Serbia is an attractive non-EU European jurisdiction for founders, IT professionals, and remote workers - with accessible residency and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Serbian partners for filings.
Best for	HNW Funds Family offices English admin	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Families Remote workers EU access Long-term residency	Founders IT professionals Cost of living Regional hub
Currency	BSD	EUR	EUR	RSD
Language	English	German	Italian	Serbian
Time zone	UTC-5	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC+1
EU member	No	Yes	Yes	No
Schengen	No	Yes	Yes	No
Residency	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes	German residency routes: Blue Card - high-skilled employees Freiberufler / Selbständig - freelancer / self-employed Employer-sponsored work permits Entrepreneur visa Family reunification Permanent residence typically after 5 years (faster on Blue Card).	Italian residency routes: Elective Residency Visa - passive income, no employment in Italy Self-employment visa (within quota) Entrepreneur visa Investor visa Digital nomad / remote worker - for qualified professionals Flat-tax regime (Article 24-bis) and impatriate regime may apply.	Serbian residency routes: Temporary residence via employment Self-employment / business Real-estate ownership Family reunification IT-focused residency framework Permanent residence typically after 3 years of continuous temporary residence.
Company setup	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.	GmbH and UG (haftungsbeschränkt) are common structures. Notary involvement is required for formation. Tax registration, trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung), and German GAAP / tax accounting standards apply.	SRL (Limited Liability Company) and SRL Semplificata are the standard structures. Italian tax residency triggers worldwide reporting; the flat-tax regime for new residents (article 24-bis) and the impatriate regime may apply to eligible individuals.	DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented, with online steps available. Tax registration (PIB) and APR (Business Registers Agency) registration follow.
Banking	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Personal banking for residents is well established; certain non-resident structures take longer. SCHUFA history is relevant for residents. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking and certain non-standard structures require coordination. Bordercase introduces banking partners where useful.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.
Family	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.	Family reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.	Family reunification is supported. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.	Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, Russian) are available in Belgrade.
Risks	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures	Risks Bordercase watches for in Germany: Tax residency triggers (183 days + centre of interests) Late VAT registration on cross-border services Language and bureaucratic friction in some Länder Freiberufler vs Gewerbe classification disputes	Risks Bordercase watches for in Italy: Tax residency triggers Flat-tax regime eligibility and possible revocation Regional administrative variation Language and bureaucratic friction Impatriate regime conditions vary	Risks Bordercase watches for in Serbia: Tax residency triggers VAT registration timing Processing variations between MUP offices EU Schengen access requires planning for cross-border travel
Documents	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents	Typical German residency documents: Passport Recognised qualifications (where required) Contract or business plan Accommodation evidence (Anmeldung) Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to German.	Typical Italian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of income (significant for elective residency) Health insurance valid in Italy Accommodation evidence Codice fiscale (tax number) Apostille and certified Italian translation where required.	Typical Serbian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.) Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Serbian.

Bahamas

Central America & Caribbean

Germany

Europe

Italy

Europe

Serbia

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.

Germany is the largest EU economy and a strong destination for skilled professionals, founders, and remote workers (under specific routes). Bordercase coordinates with licensed German partners for filings.

Italy offers EU residency routes for self-employed, entrepreneurs, retirees, and recently a digital nomad / remote worker route. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Italian partners for filings and tax planning.

Serbia is an attractive non-EU European jurisdiction for founders, IT professionals, and remote workers - with accessible residency and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Serbian partners for filings.

Best for

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Long-term residency

Founders
IT professionals
Cost of living
Regional hub

Currency

BSD

EUR

RSD

Language

English

German

Italian

Serbian

Time zone

UTC-5

UTC+1

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

German residency routes:

Blue Card - high-skilled employees
Freiberufler / Selbständig - freelancer / self-employed
Employer-sponsored work permits
Entrepreneur visa
Family reunification

Permanent residence typically after 5 years (faster on Blue Card).

Italian residency routes:

Elective Residency Visa - passive income, no employment in Italy
Self-employment visa (within quota)
Entrepreneur visa
Investor visa
Digital nomad / remote worker - for qualified professionals

Flat-tax regime (Article 24-bis) and impatriate regime may apply.

Serbian residency routes:

Temporary residence via employment
Self-employment / business
Real-estate ownership
Family reunification
IT-focused residency framework

Permanent residence typically after 3 years of continuous temporary residence.

Company setup

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

GmbH and UG (haftungsbeschränkt) are common structures. Notary involvement is required for formation. Tax registration, trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung), and German GAAP / tax accounting standards apply.

SRL (Limited Liability Company) and SRL Semplificata are the standard structures. Italian tax residency triggers worldwide reporting; the flat-tax regime for new residents (article 24-bis) and the impatriate regime may apply to eligible individuals.

DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented, with online steps available. Tax registration (PIB) and APR (Business Registers Agency) registration follow.

Banking

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

Personal banking for residents is well established; certain non-resident structures take longer. SCHUFA history is relevant for residents. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking and certain non-standard structures require coordination. Bordercase introduces banking partners where useful.

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

Family

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

Family reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

Family reunification is supported. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, Russian) are available in Belgrade.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

Risks Bordercase watches for in Germany:

Tax residency triggers (183 days + centre of interests)
Late VAT registration on cross-border services
Language and bureaucratic friction in some Länder
Freiberufler vs Gewerbe classification disputes

Risks Bordercase watches for in Italy:

Tax residency triggers
Flat-tax regime eligibility and possible revocation
Regional administrative variation
Language and bureaucratic friction
Impatriate regime conditions vary

Risks Bordercase watches for in Serbia:

Tax residency triggers
VAT registration timing
Processing variations between MUP offices
EU Schengen access requires planning for cross-border travel

Documents

Typical Bahamian documents:

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

Typical German residency documents:

Passport
Recognised qualifications (where required)
Contract or business plan
Accommodation evidence (Anmeldung)
Health insurance
Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to German.

Typical Italian residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of income (significant for elective residency)
Health insurance valid in Italy
Accommodation evidence
Codice fiscale (tax number)

Apostille and certified Italian translation where required.

Typical Serbian residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to Serbian.