Compare

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.

Start your assessment All countries

Pick countries to compare (4/4)

Countries

	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Germany Europe	Romania Europe	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.	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.	Romania is an EU member state with structured residency routes, accessible company formation, and competitive costs for founders and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Romanian partners.	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	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Founders Digital nomads EU access Cost of living	HNW Funds Family offices English admin
Currency	USD	EUR	RON	BSD
Language	English	German	Romanian	English
Time zone	UTC-4	UTC+1	UTC+2	UTC-5
EU member	No	Yes	Yes	No
Schengen	No	Yes	Yes	No
Residency	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	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).	Romanian residency routes: Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card) Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers Business / investor routes Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	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.	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.	SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.	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.	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.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.	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 reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.	Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.	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 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	Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania: Tax residency triggers Microcompany regime eligibility Processing variations between counties Schengen entry / exit rules now apply	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 German residency documents: Passport Recognised qualifications (where required) Contract or business plan Accommodation evidence (Anmeldung) Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to German.	Typical Romanian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Romanian.	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Germany

Europe

Romania

Europe

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.

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.

Romania is an EU member state with structured residency routes, accessible company formation, and competitive costs for founders and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Romanian partners.

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

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Founders
Digital nomads
EU access
Cost of living

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Currency

USD

EUR

RON

BSD

Language

English

German

Romanian

English

Time zone

UTC-4

UTC+1

UTC+2

UTC-5

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

BVI presence options:

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

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).

Romanian residency routes:

Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card)
Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers
Business / investor routes
Family reunification
EU citizen-derivative routes

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.

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.

SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.

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.

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.

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.

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

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.

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 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

Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania:

Tax residency triggers
Microcompany regime eligibility
Processing variations between counties
Schengen entry / exit rules now apply

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 German residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to German.

Typical Romanian residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of address
Basis for residence
Health insurance
Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Romanian.

Typical Bahamian documents:

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