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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.

 VG flagBritish Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

BR flagBrazil

Latin America

DE flagGermany

Europe

OverviewThe British Virgin Islands is a long-standing jurisdiction for BVI Business Companies used in international structures. Substance and reporting have tightened materially. Bordercase coordinates with licensed BVI partners.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.Germany is the largest EU economy and a strong destination for skilled professionals, founders, and remote workers (under specific routes). Bordercase coordinates with licensed German partners for filings.
Best for
  • Holding structures
  • International funds
  • English admin
  • Latin America hub
  • Founders
  • Families
  • Digital nomads
  • Founders
  • Skilled workers
  • EU access
  • Families
CurrencyUSDBRLEUR
LanguageEnglishPortugueseGerman
Time zoneUTC-4UTC-3UTC+1
EU memberNoNoYes
SchengenNoNoYes
Residency

BVI presence options:

  • Work permits - employer-sponsored
  • Residency for HNW under specific programmes
  • Limited tourist / business visit arrangements

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

German residency routes:

  • Blue Card - high-skilled employees
  • Freiberufler / Selbständig - freelancer / self-employed
  • Employer-sponsored work permits
  • Entrepreneur visa
  • Family reunification

Permanent residence typically after 5 years (faster on Blue Card).

Company setup

BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.

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

GmbH and UG (haftungsbeschränkt) are common structures. Notary involvement is required for formation. Tax registration, trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung), and German GAAP / tax accounting standards apply.

Banking

Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

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

Personal banking for residents is well established; certain non-resident structures take longer. SCHUFA history is relevant for residents. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Family

Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.

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

Family reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in the BVI:

  • Economic substance reporting
  • UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform
  • Reputational handling around offshore structures

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 Germany:

  • Tax residency triggers (183 days + centre of interests)
  • Late VAT registration on cross-border services
  • Language and bureaucratic friction in some Länder
  • Freiberufler vs Gewerbe classification disputes
Documents

Typical BVI documents:

  • Passport
  • Source-of-funds evidence
  • KYC for all UBOs
  • Apostilled foreign documents

Typical Brazilian documents:

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

Typical German residency documents:

  • Passport
  • Recognised qualifications (where required)
  • Contract or business plan
  • Accommodation evidence (Anmeldung)
  • Health insurance
  • Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to German.

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