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	Hong Kong Asia	Saint Lucia Central America & Caribbean	Barbados 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.	Hong Kong remains an active jurisdiction for company formation, banking introductions, and selected residency routes. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Hong Kong company-services and immigration partners.	Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.	Barbados is a Caribbean jurisdiction with structured residency routes including the Welcome Stamp for remote workers, and an established corporate-services sector. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Barbadian partners.
Best for	Holding structures International funds English admin	Founders Banking Holding structures English admin	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency	Remote workers HNW English admin
Currency	USD	HKD	XCD	BBD
Language	English	Cantonese / English	English	English
Time zone	UTC-4	UTC+8	UTC-4	UTC-4
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	Hong Kong residency routes: General Employment Policy (GEP) Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) - recently revived Dependant routes	Saint Lucia routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes	Barbadian residency routes: Welcome Stamp - 12-month remote-worker route, renewable Special Entry Permit - qualifying HNW relocators Standard 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.	Hong Kong Limited companies are widely used for trading and holding structures. Annual filings, audited accounts, and a company secretary are required. Substance expectations and BEPS-driven changes affect ongoing planning.	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.	Corporate entities for international business (formerly IBC) are well established. Substance and reporting requirements apply.
Banking	Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Local banking has tightened materially; some non-resident structures face long onboarding or rejection. EMIs and Singapore / Dubai banking are common alternatives. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.	Banking is mature but selective. Source-of-funds documentation is central. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.
Family	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family relocation is supported on most residency routes. Schools (local, private, ESF, international) are competitive; international school waitlists are real.	CBI can include qualifying dependents.	Family inclusion is supported. International schools are limited but present.
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 Hong Kong: Company-only setups without substance face banking and audit friction Banking has tightened materially Political / policy shifts must be factored into long-horizon planning Annual audit and filing discipline is real	Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented	Risks Bordercase watches for in Barbados: Tax residency triggers Substance and reporting under the post-BEPS framework Welcome Stamp renewal conditions
Documents	Typical BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Hong Kong documents: Passport CV Education certificates Employment history Company documents (where applicable) Family certificates with notarisation	Typical CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation	Typical Barbadian documents: Passport Proof of income or employment Health insurance valid in Barbados Police clearance for longer-stay routes Apostilled foreign documents for family

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Hong Kong

Asia

Saint Lucia

Central America & Caribbean

Barbados

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.

Hong Kong remains an active jurisdiction for company formation, banking introductions, and selected residency routes. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Hong Kong company-services and immigration partners.

Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.

Barbados is a Caribbean jurisdiction with structured residency routes including the Welcome Stamp for remote workers, and an established corporate-services sector. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Barbadian partners.

Best for

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Founders
Banking
Holding structures
English admin

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Remote workers
HNW
English admin

Currency

USD

HKD

XCD

BBD

Language

English

Cantonese / English

English

Time zone

UTC-4

UTC+8

UTC-4

EU member

Schengen

Residency

BVI presence options:

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

Hong Kong residency routes:

General Employment Policy (GEP)
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) - recently revived
Dependant routes

Saint Lucia routes:

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment
Standard work permits
Family routes

Barbadian residency routes:

Welcome Stamp - 12-month remote-worker route, renewable
Special Entry Permit - qualifying HNW relocators
Standard 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.

Hong Kong Limited companies are widely used for trading and holding structures. Annual filings, audited accounts, and a company secretary are required. Substance expectations and BEPS-driven changes affect ongoing planning.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

Corporate entities for international business (formerly IBC) are well established. Substance and reporting requirements apply.

Banking

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

Local banking has tightened materially; some non-resident structures face long onboarding or rejection. EMIs and Singapore / Dubai banking are common alternatives. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.

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

Family

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

Family relocation is supported on most residency routes. Schools (local, private, ESF, international) are competitive; international school waitlists are real.

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

Family inclusion is supported. International schools are limited but present.

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 Hong Kong:

Company-only setups without substance face banking and audit friction
Banking has tightened materially
Political / policy shifts must be factored into long-horizon planning
Annual audit and filing discipline is real

Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia:

Programme parameters change
Due diligence has tightened
Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented

Risks Bordercase watches for in Barbados:

Tax residency triggers
Substance and reporting under the post-BEPS framework
Welcome Stamp renewal conditions

Documents

Typical BVI documents:

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

Typical Hong Kong documents:

Passport
CV
Education certificates
Employment history
Company documents (where applicable)
Family certificates with notarisation

Typical CBI documents:

Passport
Due diligence questionnaires
Source-of-funds evidence (extensive)
Family certificates with apostille and translation

Typical Barbadian documents:

Passport
Proof of income or employment
Health insurance valid in Barbados
Police clearance for longer-stay routes
Apostilled foreign documents for family