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Countries

	Bulgaria Europe	Saint Lucia Central America & Caribbean	Hong Kong Asia	Grenada Central America & Caribbean
Overview	Bulgaria is an EU member state with competitive corporate tax, structured residency routes, and a well-developed digital infrastructure. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bulgarian partners for filings.	Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.	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.	Grenada is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme that uniquely supports US E-2 treaty access. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.
Best for	Founders EU access Cost of living	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency	Founders Banking Holding structures English admin	Second passport US E-2 access English admin
Currency	BGN / EUR transition	XCD	HKD	XCD
Language	Bulgarian	English	Cantonese / English	English
Time zone	UTC+2	UTC-4	UTC+8	UTC-4
EU member	Yes	No	No	No
Schengen	Yes	No	No	No
Residency	Bulgarian residency routes: Employment-based residence Business / self-employment routes Retirement / pensioner residency Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes Permanent residence typically after 5 years.	Saint Lucia routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes	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	Grenada routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or qualifying real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes
Company setup	OOD (LLC) and EOOD (single-shareholder LLC) are common structures. Formation is well-documented. Corporate tax is at a flat rate; VAT registration depends on activity.	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.	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.
Banking	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.	Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.	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.
Family	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.	CBI can include qualifying dependents.	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.
Risks	Risks Bordercase watches for in Bulgaria: Tax residency triggers VAT classification on cross-border services Processing variations between regions Euro adoption is in progress - operational planning needed	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 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 Grenada: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented
Documents	Typical Bulgarian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.) Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Bulgarian.	Typical CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation	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

Bulgaria

Europe

Saint Lucia

Central America & Caribbean

Hong Kong

Asia

Grenada

Central America & Caribbean

Overview

Bulgaria is an EU member state with competitive corporate tax, structured residency routes, and a well-developed digital infrastructure. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bulgarian partners for filings.

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

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.

Grenada is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme that uniquely supports US E-2 treaty access. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.

Best for

Founders
EU access
Cost of living

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Founders
Banking
Holding structures
English admin

Second passport
US E-2 access
English admin

Currency

BGN / EUR transition

XCD

HKD

XCD

Language

Bulgarian

English

Cantonese / English

English

Time zone

UTC+2

UTC-4

UTC+8

UTC-4

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

Bulgarian residency routes:

Employment-based residence
Business / self-employment routes
Retirement / pensioner residency
Family reunification
EU citizen-derivative routes

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

Saint Lucia routes:

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

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

Grenada routes:

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

Company setup

OOD (LLC) and EOOD (single-shareholder LLC) are common structures. Formation is well-documented. Corporate tax is at a flat rate; VAT registration depends on activity.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

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.

Banking

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

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

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.

Family

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

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.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in Bulgaria:

Tax residency triggers
VAT classification on cross-border services
Processing variations between regions
Euro adoption is in progress - operational planning needed

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 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 Grenada:

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

Documents

Typical Bulgarian residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of address
Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.)
Health insurance
Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Bulgarian.

Typical CBI documents:

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

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