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	Mauritius Africa	Malta Europe	Saint Lucia 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.	Mauritius is a stable jurisdiction with structured residency and corporate routes, often combined for international families and founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mauritian partners.	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.	Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.
Best for	Holding structures International funds English admin	Founders Banking Trust HNW English admin	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency
Currency	USD	MUR	EUR	XCD
Language	English	English / French	English / Maltese	English
Time zone	UTC-4	UTC+4	UTC+1	UTC-4
EU member	No	No	Yes	No
Schengen	No	No	Yes	No
Residency	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	Mauritius residency routes: Premium Visa - remote work Occupation Permit - investor / professional / self-employed Residence Permit by property purchase - within approved schemes Family routes	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.	Saint Lucia routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes
Company setup	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.	GBC (Global Business Company) and Domestic Companies are the standard structures. Substance requirements following OECD reforms must be considered; the GBC framework has evolved materially.	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.	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.
Banking	Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Local banks support resident and corporate accounts; KYC and source-of-funds requirements are real. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.	Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.	Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.
Family	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family inclusion is supported. International schools are available in major regions.	Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.	CBI can include qualifying dependents.
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 Mauritius: Substance reform impacts on Global Business Companies FATCA / CRS reporting on related accounts Mauritian residency vs physical-presence-based tax residence elsewhere Banking introductions vary by activity	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 Saint Lucia: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented
Documents	Typical BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Mauritius documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of income / investment Health insurance Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family Apostille 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 CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Mauritius

Africa

Malta

Europe

Saint Lucia

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.

Mauritius is a stable jurisdiction with structured residency and corporate routes, often combined for international families and founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mauritian partners.

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.

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

Best for

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Founders
Banking
Trust
HNW
English admin

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Currency

USD

MUR

EUR

XCD

Language

English

English / French

English / Maltese

English

Time zone

UTC-4

UTC+4

UTC+1

UTC-4

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

BVI presence options:

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

Mauritius residency routes:

Premium Visa - remote work
Occupation Permit - investor / professional / self-employed
Residence Permit by property purchase - within approved schemes
Family routes

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.

Saint Lucia routes:

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

Company setup

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

GBC (Global Business Company) and Domestic Companies are the standard structures. Substance requirements following OECD reforms must be considered; the GBC framework has evolved materially.

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.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

Banking

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

Local banks support resident and corporate accounts; KYC and source-of-funds requirements are real. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

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

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

Family

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

Family inclusion is supported. International schools are available in major regions.

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

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

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 Mauritius:

Substance reform impacts on Global Business Companies
FATCA / CRS reporting on related accounts
Mauritian residency vs physical-presence-based tax residence elsewhere
Banking introductions vary by activity

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 Saint Lucia:

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

Documents

Typical BVI documents:

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

Typical Mauritius documents:

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

Apostille 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 CBI documents:

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