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Bordercase

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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.

 VG flagBritish Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

SK flagSlovakia

Europe

PA flagPanama

Central America & Caribbean

OverviewThe 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.Slovakia offers EU residency and corporate structures with a stable regulatory environment and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Slovak partners for filings.Panama is a long-established jurisdiction for residency and offshore company structures with a stable USD economy. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Panamanian lawyers and corporate-services partners.
Best for
  • Holding structures
  • International funds
  • English admin
  • Founders
  • EU access
  • Cost of living
  • Second residency
  • USD economy
  • Asset planning
  • Holding structures
CurrencyUSDEURUSD
LanguageEnglishSlovakSpanish
Time zoneUTC-4UTC+1UTC-5
EU memberNoYesNo
SchengenNoYesNo
Residency

BVI presence options:

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

Slovak residency routes:

  • Employment-based residence
  • Start-up visa - innovative businesses
  • Business / self-employment
  • Family reunification
  • EU citizen-derivative routes

Panama residency routes:

  • Friendly Nations Visa - now requires economic tie (employment, real estate, or investment)
  • Qualified Investor Visa - qualifying investment thresholds
  • Pensionado / Retiree Visa - qualifying pension income
  • Family routes
Company setup

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

S.R.O. (private limited) is the standard entity, with relatively low minimum capital and well-established formation processes. VAT registration depends on activity.

Panamanian corporations (SA) and Private Interest Foundations are widely used. Beneficial ownership reporting, CRS / FATCA compliance, and substance discussions have become material; planning must reflect current standards.

Banking

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

Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking varies by activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Panamanian banking has tightened KYC and source-of-funds requirements. Non-resident applications take time; Bordercase coordinates introductions through current banking partners.

Family

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

Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Bratislava.

Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English-language and Spanish) are available in Panama City.

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 Slovakia:

  • Tax residency triggers
  • VAT registration timing for cross-border services
  • Processing variations between districts

Risks Bordercase watches for in Panama:

  • Reputational / de-banking risks for poorly structured offshore-only setups
  • Tax residency analysis for clients with other obligations (CRS / FATCA)
  • Processing delays at Migration
  • UBO reporting is now active
Documents

Typical BVI documents:

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

Typical Slovak residency documents:

  • Passport
  • Criminal record certificate
  • Proof of address
  • Health insurance
  • Employment or business documentation
  • Family certificates with apostille and translation

Typical Panama documents:

  • Passport
  • Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
  • Proof of economic tie (employment letter, property deed, or investment evidence)
  • Proof of address
  • Marriage / birth certificates for family

All documents apostilled and translated where required.

Country pages stay the authoritative source. This view is a side-by-side; nothing here promises a particular outcome.