Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

Estonian residency routes:

• Start-up visa - for founders of qualifying start-ups
• Digital nomad visa - for eligible remote workers
• Work permit - employer-sponsored
• Family routes - spouse / dependants

Note: e-Residency is NOT a residence permit - it is a digital identity for managing an Estonian company remotely.

Saint Kitts and Nevis routes:

• Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via the Sustainable Growth Fund
• CBI via approved real-estate investment
• Standard work / family routes

Citizenship outcomes remain at the discretion of the Citizenship by Investment Unit.

Barbadian residency routes:

• Welcome Stamp - 12-month remote-worker route, renewable
• Special Entry Permit - qualifying HNW relocators
• Standard work permits - employer-sponsored
• Family routes

Chilean residency routes:

• Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity
• Investor / entrepreneur routes
• Family reunification
• Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period

OÜ (private limited) is the standard structure, formed online via e-Residency or in person. Reporting obligations are real but proportionate; accounting partners are widely available.

Nevis IBCs and LLCs are commonly used in international structures. Substance, beneficial ownership disclosure, and AML standards have tightened materially.

Corporate entities for international business (formerly IBC) are well established. Substance and reporting requirements apply.

SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.

Estonian banks have tightened KYC for non-resident e-residents; many international founders rely on EMIs (Wise, Revolut Business, Payoneer, etc.) for day-to-day banking. Local bank accounts typically require strong substance evidence.

Domestic and offshore banking options exist but have become more selective on KYC and source of funds. Bordercase coordinates banking pack preparation and partner introductions.

Banking is mature but selective. Source-of-funds documentation is central. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Family relocation is supported on the work and start-up visa routes; schooling and healthcare access follow the main applicant's residency.

CBI applications can include qualifying dependants - spouse, children, and in some cases parents - under specific conditions.

Family inclusion is supported. International schools are limited but present.

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.

Common pitfalls Bordercase watches for:

• Confusing e-Residency with physical residency
• Banking-only setups without substance - likely flagged
• Crypto, gambling, and other regulated industries face additional friction
• Tax residence triggered by 183 days even without a residence permit

Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Kitts:

• Programme parameters change
• Due diligence has tightened materially
• Rejection rates have risen for incomplete or unclear source-of-funds presentations
• Visa-revocation and reputational risks if information is misrepresented

Risks Bordercase watches for in Barbados:

• Tax residency triggers
• Substance and reporting under the post-BEPS framework
• Welcome Stamp renewal conditions

Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile:

• Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting
• Processing variations between regions
• RUT timing for non-residents

For e-Residency:

• Passport
• Application form
• Biometric collection at the chosen Estonian embassy or pickup point

For physical residency:

• Passport
• Criminal record certificate
• Proof of income
• Accommodation evidence
• Health insurance
• Business plan (start-up visa)

Typical CBI documents:

• Passport
• Due diligence questionnaires
• Source-of-funds evidence (extensive)
• Employment / business documentation
• Family certificates with apostille and certified translation
• Police clearance certificates for all countries of residence in the prior 10 years

Typical Barbadian documents:

• Passport
• Proof of income or employment
• Health insurance valid in Barbados
• Police clearance for longer-stay routes
• Apostilled foreign documents for family

Typical Chilean documents:

• Passport
• Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record)
• Proof of income or investment
• Health insurance
• Spanish translations where required