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Countries

	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Chile Latin America	Malta Europe	Spain Europe
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.	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.	Malta is an EU member state with established residency, company, and family relocation routes. English is widely spoken and regulatory processes are well documented. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Maltese 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.
Best for	Holding structures International funds English admin	Latin America hub Stable economy Founders Families	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living
Currency	USD	CLP	EUR	EUR
Language	English	Spanish	English / Maltese	Spanish
Time zone	UTC-4	UTC-4	UTC+1	UTC+1
EU member	No	No	Yes	Yes
Schengen	No	No	Yes	Yes
Residency	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	Chilean residency routes: Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity Investor / entrepreneur routes Family reunification Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period	Maltese residency routes: Nomad Residence Permit - eligible remote workers Malta Permanent Residency Programme (MPRP) - investor route Employment routes Family reunification The citizenship-by-naturalisation-for-exceptional-services programme is closed to new applicants.	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.
Company setup	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.	SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.	Maltese companies are commonly used for trading, IP holding, and gaming / fintech structures. Substance, accounting, and tax-refund mechanisms are well established but require careful structuring.	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.
Banking	Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.
Family	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.	Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.	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.
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 Chile: Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting Processing variations between regions RUT timing for non-residents	Risks Bordercase watches for in Malta: Substance requirements (real operations, real director time) Tax classification disputes Banking timelines - EU-wide AML pressure EU anti-abuse rules tighten ongoing	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
Documents	Typical BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Chilean documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or investment Health insurance Spanish translations where required	Standard EU residency document pack for Malta: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of income Health insurance Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family routes Apostille or legalisation where required.	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

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Chile

Latin America

Malta

Europe

Spain

Europe

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.

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.

Malta is an EU member state with established residency, company, and family relocation routes. English is widely spoken and regulatory processes are well documented. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Maltese 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.

Best for

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Latin America hub
Stable economy
Founders
Families

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

Currency

USD

CLP

EUR

Language

English

Spanish

English / Maltese

Spanish

Time zone

UTC-4

UTC+1

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

BVI presence options:

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

Chilean residency routes:

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

Maltese residency routes:

Nomad Residence Permit - eligible remote workers
Malta Permanent Residency Programme (MPRP) - investor route
Employment routes
Family reunification

The citizenship-by-naturalisation-for-exceptional-services programme is closed to new applicants.

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.

Company setup

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

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

Maltese companies are commonly used for trading, IP holding, and gaming / fintech structures. Substance, accounting, and tax-refund mechanisms are well established but require careful structuring.

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.

Banking

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

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

Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.

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

Family

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

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.

Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.

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.

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 Chile:

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in Malta:

Substance requirements (real operations, real director time)
Tax classification disputes
Banking timelines - EU-wide AML pressure
EU anti-abuse rules tighten ongoing

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

Documents

Typical BVI documents:

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

Typical Chilean documents:

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

Standard EU residency document pack for Malta:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of income
Health insurance
Accommodation evidence
Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

Apostille or legalisation where required.

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