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Countries

	Brazil Latin America	Spain Europe	Switzerland Europe	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean
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.	Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss partners for filings.	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.
Best for	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living	HNW Founders Forfait fiscal Stability	HNW Funds Family offices English admin
Currency	BRL	EUR	CHF	BSD
Language	Portuguese	Spanish	German / French / Italian	English
Time zone	UTC-3	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC-5
EU member	No	Yes	No	No
Schengen	No	Yes	Yes	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.	Swiss residency routes: Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons Business / investor routes EU / EFTA routes - under FMP Family reunification	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes
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.	GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.
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.	Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current 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 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 permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.
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 Switzerland: Quotas for non-EU work permits Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation Banking gatekeeping for non-residents Substance and arm's-length pricing audits	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures
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 Swiss residency documents: Passport Employment contract or business plan Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Health insurance valid in Switzerland Financial evidence Apostilled and translated where required.	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents

Latin America

Europe

Europe

Central America & Caribbean

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.

Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss partners for filings.

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.

Best for

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

HNW
Founders
Forfait fiscal
Stability

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Currency

BRL

EUR

CHF

BSD

Language

Portuguese

Spanish

German / French / Italian

English

Time zone

UTC-3

UTC+1

UTC-5

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.

Swiss residency routes:

Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU
Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons
Business / investor routes
EU / EFTA routes - under FMP
Family reunification

Bahamian residency routes:

Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment
Annual residence permits for HNW
Work permits - employer-sponsored
Family routes

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.

GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.

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

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.

Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current 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 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 permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.

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

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 Switzerland:

Quotas for non-EU work permits
Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation
Banking gatekeeping for non-residents
Substance and arm's-length pricing audits

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

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 Swiss residency documents:

Passport
Employment contract or business plan
Criminal record certificate
Proof of accommodation
Health insurance valid in Switzerland
Financial evidence

Apostilled and translated where required.

Typical Bahamian documents:

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