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Countries

	Brazil Latin America	Spain Europe	Chile Latin America	Mexico North America
Overview	Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.	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.	Chile is a stable Latin American economy with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and growing relevance for international founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Chilean partners for filings.	Mexico is a large North American economy with established routes for residency, growing remote-worker visa programs, and a strong fit for founders building toward Latin American customers. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mexican partners for filings.
Best for	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living	Latin America hub Stable economy Founders Families	Founders Families Latin America hub Cost of living
Currency	BRL	EUR	CLP	MXN
Language	Portuguese	Spanish	Spanish	Spanish
Time zone	UTC-3	UTC+1	UTC-4	UTC-6
EU member	No	Yes	No	No
Schengen	No	Yes	No	No
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	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.	Chilean residency routes: Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity Investor / entrepreneur routes Family reunification Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period	Mexican residency routes: Temporary resident visa - via investment, employment, or qualifying income Permanent resident visa - via qualifying assets, retirement income, or after 4 years of temporary residency Family unity routes - for spouse and dependents of permanent residents / citizens Student visa Permanent residency unlocks indefinite stay with work authorisation.
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.	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.	SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.	SA de CV (Sociedad Anónima) and S de RL de CV are the standard private entity types. Formation involves a notary, RFC (tax registration), and IMSS where staff are involved. Mexican tax residency is triggered by primary home and centre of economic interests.
Banking	Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.	Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Resident personal banking is broadly accessible; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Source of funds and ownership clarity are central. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.
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 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. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.	Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are widely available in major cities; bilingual public and private schools are common.
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 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 Chile: Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting Processing variations between regions RUT timing for non-residents	Risks Bordercase watches for in Mexico: Centre-of-economic-interests test for tax residency Real-estate restrictions in the "restricted zone" (50 km from coast, 100 km from borders) - fideicomiso or Mexican company structure needed Income thresholds for temporary / permanent routes change with minimum wage indexation Late-stage RFC and CURP registrations
Documents	Typical Brazilian documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents Proof of income or investment Photographs to specification Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes	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	Typical Chilean documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or investment Health insurance Spanish translations where required	Typical Mexican documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or qualifying assets Photographs to specification Mexican consular application abroad for most routes

Latin America

Europe

Latin America

North America

Overview

Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.

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.

Chile is a stable Latin American economy with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and growing relevance for international founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Chilean partners for filings.

Mexico is a large North American economy with established routes for residency, growing remote-worker visa programs, and a strong fit for founders building toward Latin American customers. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mexican partners for filings.

Best for

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

Latin America hub
Stable economy
Founders
Families

Founders
Families
Latin America hub
Cost of living

Currency

BRL

EUR

CLP

MXN

Language

Portuguese

Spanish

Time zone

UTC-3

UTC+1

UTC-4

UTC-6

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

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

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.

Chilean residency routes:

Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity
Investor / entrepreneur routes
Family reunification
Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period

Mexican residency routes:

Temporary resident visa - via investment, employment, or qualifying income
Permanent resident visa - via qualifying assets, retirement income, or after 4 years of temporary residency
Family unity routes - for spouse and dependents of permanent residents / citizens
Student visa

Permanent residency unlocks indefinite stay with work authorisation.

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.

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.

SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.

SA de CV (Sociedad Anónima) and S de RL de CV are the standard private entity types. Formation involves a notary, RFC (tax registration), and IMSS where staff are involved. Mexican tax residency is triggered by primary home and centre of economic interests.

Banking

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

Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.

Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Resident personal banking is broadly accessible; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Source of funds and ownership clarity are central. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

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 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. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.

Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are widely available in major cities; bilingual public and private schools are common.

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 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 Chile:

Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting
Processing variations between regions
RUT timing for non-residents

Risks Bordercase watches for in Mexico:

Centre-of-economic-interests test for tax residency
Real-estate restrictions in the "restricted zone" (50 km from coast, 100 km from borders) - fideicomiso or Mexican company structure needed
Income thresholds for temporary / permanent routes change with minimum wage indexation
Late-stage RFC and CURP registrations

Documents

Typical Brazilian documents:

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

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

Typical Chilean documents:

Passport
Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record)
Proof of income or investment
Health insurance
Spanish translations where required

Typical Mexican documents:

Passport
Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record)
Proof of income or qualifying assets
Photographs to specification
Mexican consular application abroad for most routes