Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

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

Hong Kong residency routes:

• General Employment Policy (GEP)
• Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
• Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
• Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) - recently revived
• Dependant routes

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.

Bulgarian residency routes:

• Employment-based residence
• Business / self-employment routes
• Retirement / pensioner residency
• Family reunification
• EU citizen-derivative routes

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

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

Hong Kong Limited companies are widely used for trading and holding structures. Annual filings, audited accounts, and a company secretary are required. Substance expectations and BEPS-driven changes affect ongoing planning.

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.

OOD (LLC) and EOOD (single-shareholder LLC) are common structures. Formation is well-documented. Corporate tax is at a flat rate; VAT registration depends on activity.

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

Local banking has tightened materially; some non-resident structures face long onboarding or rejection. EMIs and Singapore / Dubai banking are common alternatives. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.

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

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

Family relocation is supported on most residency routes. Schools (local, private, ESF, international) are competitive; international school waitlists are real.

Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.

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 Hong Kong:

• Company-only setups without substance face banking and audit friction
• Banking has tightened materially
• Political / policy shifts must be factored into long-horizon planning
• Annual audit and filing discipline is real

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in Bulgaria:

• Tax residency triggers
• VAT classification on cross-border services
• Processing variations between regions
• Euro adoption is in progress - operational planning needed

Typical Brazilian documents:

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

Typical Hong Kong documents:

• Passport
• CV
• Education certificates
• Employment history
• Company documents (where applicable)
• Family certificates with notarisation

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.

Typical Bulgarian residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to Bulgarian.