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	Bulgaria Europe	United Kingdom Europe	Portugal Europe
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.	The United Kingdom is a major global jurisdiction with structured (and competitive) residency, business, and skilled-worker routes. Bordercase coordinates with licensed UK partners for filings.	Portugal is a popular EU destination for individuals, families, and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates assessment across the main residency routes and family relocation logistics, working with licensed Portuguese partners for filings.
Best for	Founders EU access Cost of living	Founders Skilled workers Global hub Banking English admin	Families Remote workers Founders EU access
Currency	BGN / EUR transition	GBP	EUR
Language	Bulgarian	English	Portuguese
Time zone	UTC+2	UTC+0	UTC+1
EU member	Yes	No	Yes
Schengen	Yes	No	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.	UK residency routes: Skilled Worker visa - employer-sponsored Innovator Founder visa - for endorsed founders Global Talent visa - for endorsed experts Self-Sponsorship via own company (with substance) Family routes - spouse / partner / dependents Ancestry visa for eligible Commonwealth nationals	Common Portuguese residency routes: D7 - passive income / pension D8 - digital nomad / remote work D2 - entrepreneur / self-employed D3 - highly qualified workers Tech Visa - eligible tech roles via accredited companies Golden Visa - restricted in scope after recent reforms Family reunification on most permits Each has different income, residency-day, and renewal requirements.
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.	UK Limited companies are widely used internationally. HMRC corporation tax, VAT thresholds, and PSC (people with significant control) reporting apply. Substance expectations have tightened.	Portugal supports Lda (private limited) and SA (public limited) structures. Tax registration, social security registration, and a Portuguese tax representative are typically required. Substance, accounting, and reporting obligations are real.
Banking	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.	Resident banking is mature but onboarding is slow for non-residents. Many international founders use UK EMIs (Revolut, Monzo Business, etc.) alongside high-street accounts. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Personal accounts are accessible to residents and many non-residents; documentation is structured and predictable. Corporate banking depends on company structure and intended activity; Bordercase coordinates with banking partners for introductions.
Family	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.	Family reunification is supported. Schools (state, private, international) are widely available; competition for top schools is real.	Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.
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 the UK: Tax residency triggers (Statutory Residence Test) Sole-rep / Innovator endorsement standards have tightened Brexit-era operational variation between UK and EU services Sponsorship Compliance for licensed sponsors	Risks Bordercase watches for in Portuguese cases: AIMA processing delays (formerly SEF) Misalignment between visa type and actual activity Tax residence triggered by accident - NHR window timing matters Past EU Schengen overstays must be disclosed Real estate vs investment routes have changed materially
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 UK documents: Passport Certificate of Sponsorship (for sponsored routes) TB test (for certain nationalities) Maintenance funds evidence Apostilled / certified documents for family routes	Typical document pack for Portuguese residency: Passport NIF (Portuguese tax number) Proof of accommodation (lease, deed, or invitation) Proof of income or assets (varies by route) Criminal record certificate with apostille Health insurance valid in Portugal Marriage / birth certificates for family routes Certified translations where required

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