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

	Cyprus Europe	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Panama Central America & Caribbean	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean
Overview	Cyprus 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 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.	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.	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.
Best for	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Holding structures International funds English admin	Second residency USD economy Asset planning Holding structures	HNW Funds Family offices English admin
Currency	EUR	USD	USD	BSD
Language	Greek / English	English	Spanish	English
Time zone	UTC+2	UTC-4	UTC-5	UTC-5
EU member	Yes	No	No	No
Schengen	No	No	No	No
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.	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	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	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes
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.	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.	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.	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.
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 access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. 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.	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.
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 follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English-language and Spanish) are available in Panama City.	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.
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 BVI: Economic substance reporting UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform Reputational handling around offshore structures	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	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures
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 BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	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.	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents

Cyprus

Europe

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Panama

Central America & Caribbean

Bahamas

Central America & Caribbean

Overview

Cyprus 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 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.

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.

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.

Best for

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Second residency
USD economy
Asset planning
Holding structures

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Currency

EUR

USD

BSD

Language

Greek / English

English

Spanish

English

Time zone

UTC+2

UTC-4

UTC-5

EU member

Yes

Schengen

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.

BVI presence options:

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

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

Bahamian residency routes:

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

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.

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

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.

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

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 access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. 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.

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

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 follows the main route. International schools are limited.

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

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

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 BVI:

Economic substance reporting
UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform
Reputational handling around offshore structures

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

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 BVI documents:

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

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.

Typical Bahamian documents:

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