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Bordercase

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Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

Pick up to 4 countries and see residency, company, banking, family, and risk notes line up. No prices, no marketing packages - just the working notes.

 BR flagBrazil

Latin America

IT flagItaly

Europe

CY flagCyprus

Europe

OverviewBrazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian 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.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
  • Latin America hub
  • Founders
  • Families
  • Digital nomads
  • Families
  • Remote workers
  • EU access
  • Long-term residency
  • Founders
  • Holding structures
  • EU access
  • English admin
CurrencyBRLEUREUR
LanguagePortugueseItalianGreek / English
Time zoneUTC-3UTC+1UTC+2
EU memberNoYesYes
SchengenNoYesNo
Residency

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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 Brazil:

  • Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting
  • Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions
  • Document apostille + Portuguese translation

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

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 Brazilian documents:

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

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 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.

Country pages stay the authoritative source. This view is a side-by-side; nothing here promises a particular outcome.