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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.

 CY flagCyprus

Europe

BS flagBahamas

Central America & Caribbean

GE flagGeorgia

Europe

OverviewCyprus is an EU member state with established routes for residency, company setup, and family relocation. Bordercase coordinates with regulated Cypriot lawyers and corporate-services providers for filings and ongoing compliance.The Bahamas is a Caribbean jurisdiction with structured residency routes including the Economic Permanent Residence and an active fund / family-office sector. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bahamian partners.Georgia is one of the most accessible jurisdictions in the world for relocation, banking, and company setup - with 1-year visa-free entry for 95+ nationalities and a clean, modern tax framework. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Georgian partners for filings.
Best for
  • Founders
  • Holding structures
  • EU access
  • English admin
  • HNW
  • Funds
  • Family offices
  • English admin
  • Founders
  • IT professionals
  • Tax simplification
  • Banking diversification
  • Cost of living
CurrencyEURBSDGEL
LanguageGreek / EnglishEnglishGeorgian
Time zoneUTC+2UTC-5UTC+4
EU memberYesNoNo
SchengenNoNoNo
Residency

Cyprus residency routes:

  • Permanent residency by investment (Cat F / Cat 6.2)
  • Digital Nomad Visa
  • Employment routes (including the international headquartering route)
  • Family reunification

The investor citizenship programme is closed.

Bahamian residency routes:

  • Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment
  • Annual residence permits for HNW
  • Work permits - employer-sponsored
  • Family routes

Common Georgian residency routes:

  • Work residence - employer-sponsored or via your own Georgian LLC
  • Investment residence - real estate, capital, or business investment thresholds
  • Study residence - enrolment at a Georgian institution
  • Family reunification - spouse, children, dependant parents
  • Permanent residence - typically after 6 years of continuous lawful stay

Many nationalities can stay visa-free for 365 days, which is often used to plan the right route without time pressure.

Company setup

Cyprus Limited companies are widely used by international groups for IP, holding, and trading structures. Substance, local director, and accounting requirements have tightened in recent years and must be planned at setup.

IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.

Standard Georgian entities and tax treatment:

  • LLC (Shps) - the default structure; fast online formation
  • Individual Entrepreneur (IE) - simple setup; Small Business Status offers 1% turnover tax up to ~500k GEL/year for qualifying activities
  • Virtual Zone - 0% corporate income tax on qualifying IT-export profits (subject to substance and qualifying-activity tests)
  • International Company Status - reduced 5% CIT for qualifying IT and maritime companies with real operations

Bordercase coordinates structure choice to match real activity and avoid substance traps.

Banking

Cypriot banks have strict KYC and source-of-funds processes following past compliance episodes. EMIs are widely used as supplements. Personal and corporate banking introductions go through vetted partners.

Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Personal and corporate banking is broadly accessible to residents and non-residents through TBC, Bank of Georgia, and others - typically with USD, EUR, and GEL accounts. Compliance has tightened materially since 2023; clear source-of-funds, business narrative, and tax residency clarity matter. Bordercase coordinates introductions where useful.

Family

Family reunification is available on most routes. English-language schools (public and private) and healthcare options are widely accessible to legal residents.

Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.

Family reunification is supported across most residency routes. English-language international schools are available in Tbilisi and Batumi. Healthcare is a mix of public and private; expat-grade private cover is recommended.

Risks

Common pitfalls in Cyprus cases:

  • Post-reform substance requirements underestimated
  • Banking timelines longer than expected
  • Permanent residency confused with citizenship (different programmes)
  • Some sectors face additional KYC scrutiny

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

  • Economic substance reporting
  • Property due diligence
  • Reputational handling around offshore structures

Risks Bordercase watches for in Georgia:

  • Tax residency triggers - 183 days makes you tax-resident even without a permit
  • Virtual Zone / IE status misuse - real activity must match the qualifying category, audits do happen
  • Banking compliance - certain nationalities, sectors, and source-of-funds patterns face additional scrutiny
  • Russia/Ukraine-related restrictions - operational and reputational considerations for some cases
  • Permit timing - applying from inside Georgia vs at a consulate has different rules and risks
Documents

Typical document pack for Cyprus residency:

  • Passport
  • Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
  • Proof of income / investment
  • Health insurance valid in Cyprus
  • Accommodation evidence
  • Education certificates (for relevant routes)
  • Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

For company formation: business plan, ownership-chain documents, and KYC for all ultimate beneficial owners.

Typical Bahamian documents:

  • Passport
  • Source-of-funds evidence
  • Health and police clearances
  • Apostilled foreign documents

Typical Georgian residency documents:

  • Passport (6+ months valid)
  • Proof of basis (employment, business, study, family)
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Health insurance valid in Georgia
  • Bank statements / proof of income
  • Criminal record certificate (apostilled, where required)
  • Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

Apostille and certified translation into Georgian where required.

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