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Countries

	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Cayman Islands Central America & Caribbean	Mexico North America	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean
Overview	The 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.	The Cayman Islands is an established offshore financial centre and a long-standing jurisdiction for fund, family-office, and holding structures. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Caymanian partners.	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.	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	Holding structures International funds English admin	Funds Holding structures HNW English admin	Founders Families Latin America hub Cost of living	HNW Funds Family offices English admin
Currency	USD	KYD	MXN	BSD
Language	English	English	Spanish	English
Time zone	UTC-4	UTC-5	UTC-6	UTC-5
EU member	No	No	No	No
Schengen	No	No	No	No
Residency	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	Cayman Islands residency routes: Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means - qualifying investment Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) - operating a qualifying business Work permits for employer-sponsored roles Family routes	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.	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes
Company setup	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.	Exempted Companies, LLCs, and partnerships are widely used in fund and holding structures. Economic substance rules apply to relevant activities.	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.	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.
Banking	Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Banking is mature but selective. Source-of-funds documentation is central. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	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.	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.
Family	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family inclusion is supported on most residency routes. International schools are concentrated on Grand Cayman.	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.	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.
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 the Cayman Islands: Economic substance reporting and audit Reputational handling around offshore structures KYC tightening across the industry	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	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures
Documents	Typical BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Cayman documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents Family certificates for dependents	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	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Cayman Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Mexico

North America

Bahamas

Central America & Caribbean

Overview

The 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.

The Cayman Islands is an established offshore financial centre and a long-standing jurisdiction for fund, family-office, and holding structures. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Caymanian partners.

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.

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

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Funds
Holding structures
HNW
English admin

Founders
Families
Latin America hub
Cost of living

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Currency

USD

KYD

MXN

BSD

Language

English

Spanish

English

Time zone

UTC-4

UTC-5

UTC-6

UTC-5

EU member

Schengen

Residency

BVI presence options:

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

Cayman Islands residency routes:

Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means - qualifying investment
Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) - operating a qualifying business
Work permits for employer-sponsored roles
Family routes

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.

Bahamian residency routes:

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

Company setup

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

Exempted Companies, LLCs, and partnerships are widely used in fund and holding structures. Economic substance rules apply to relevant activities.

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.

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

Banking

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

Banking is mature but selective. Source-of-funds documentation is central. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

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.

Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Family

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

Family inclusion is supported on most residency routes. International schools are concentrated on Grand Cayman.

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.

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

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 the Cayman Islands:

Economic substance reporting and audit
Reputational handling around offshore structures
KYC tightening across the industry

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

Documents

Typical BVI documents:

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

Typical Cayman documents:

Passport
Source-of-funds evidence
Health and police clearances
Apostilled foreign documents
Family certificates for dependents

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

Typical Bahamian documents:

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