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	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean	Spain Europe	Malta 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.	Spain offers structured EU residency routes for individuals, families, and entrepreneurs, including the digital nomad visa introduced under the Startups Law. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Spanish partners for filings.	Malta is an EU member state with established residency, company, and family relocation routes. English is widely spoken and regulatory processes are well documented. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Maltese partners for filings.
Best for	HNW Funds Family offices English admin	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin
Currency	BSD	EUR	EUR
Language	English	Spanish	English / Maltese
Time zone	UTC-5	UTC+1	UTC+1
EU member	No	Yes	Yes
Schengen	No	Yes	Yes
Residency	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes	Spanish residency routes: Non-Lucrative Visa - passive income, no employment in Spain Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers and self-employed (Startups Law) Self-Employed Visa Entrepreneur Visa EU citizen-derivative routes The Golden Visa has been phased out for real estate purchases.	Maltese residency routes: Nomad Residence Permit - eligible remote workers Malta Permanent Residency Programme (MPRP) - investor route Employment routes Family reunification The citizenship-by-naturalisation-for-exceptional-services programme is closed to new applicants.
Company setup	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.	SL (Sociedad Limitada) is the standard private company. Registration involves NIE / NIF, notary, mercantile registry, and tax registration. Spanish tax residency triggers worldwide income reporting; the Beckham Law (special tax regime) may apply to eligible relocated workers.	Maltese companies are commonly used for trading, IP holding, and gaming / fintech structures. Substance, accounting, and tax-refund mechanisms are well established but require careful structuring.
Banking	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.	Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.
Family	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.	Family reunification is supported on most residency routes after a qualifying period. Schools (public, private, international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.	Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are 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 Spain: Tax residency triggers - 183 days + centre of interests Beckham Law (special regime) eligibility Autonomous-community tax variation Hacienda audits when planning is unclear Past Schengen overstays must be disclosed	Risks Bordercase watches for in Malta: Substance requirements (real operations, real director time) Tax classification disputes Banking timelines - EU-wide AML pressure EU anti-abuse rules tighten ongoing
Documents	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Spanish residency documents: Passport NIE (foreigner identification number) Criminal record certificate with apostille Proof of income / assets Health insurance with full cover in Spain Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family routes	Standard EU residency document pack for Malta: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of income Health insurance Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family routes Apostille or legalisation where required.

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