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Bordercase

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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.

 DE flagGermany

Europe

BS flagBahamas

Central America & Caribbean

CH flagSwitzerland

Europe

OverviewGermany is the largest EU economy and a strong destination for skilled professionals, founders, and remote workers (under specific routes). Bordercase coordinates with licensed German partners for filings.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.Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss partners for filings.
Best for
  • Founders
  • Skilled workers
  • EU access
  • Families
  • HNW
  • Funds
  • Family offices
  • English admin
  • HNW
  • Founders
  • Forfait fiscal
  • Stability
CurrencyEURBSDCHF
LanguageGermanEnglishGerman / French / Italian
Time zoneUTC+1UTC-5UTC+1
EU memberYesNoNo
SchengenYesNoYes
Residency

German residency routes:

  • Blue Card - high-skilled employees
  • Freiberufler / Selbständig - freelancer / self-employed
  • Employer-sponsored work permits
  • Entrepreneur visa
  • Family reunification

Permanent residence typically after 5 years (faster on Blue Card).

Bahamian residency routes:

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

Swiss residency routes:

  • Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU
  • Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons
  • Business / investor routes
  • EU / EFTA routes - under FMP
  • Family reunification
Company setup

GmbH and UG (haftungsbeschränkt) are common structures. Notary involvement is required for formation. Tax registration, trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung), and German GAAP / tax accounting standards apply.

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

GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.

Banking

Personal banking for residents is well established; certain non-resident structures take longer. SCHUFA history is relevant for residents. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

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

Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

Family

Family reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

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

Family reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in Germany:

  • Tax residency triggers (183 days + centre of interests)
  • Late VAT registration on cross-border services
  • Language and bureaucratic friction in some Länder
  • Freiberufler vs Gewerbe classification disputes

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in Switzerland:

  • Quotas for non-EU work permits
  • Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation
  • Banking gatekeeping for non-residents
  • Substance and arm's-length pricing audits
Documents

Typical German residency documents:

  • Passport
  • Recognised qualifications (where required)
  • Contract or business plan
  • Accommodation evidence (Anmeldung)
  • Health insurance
  • Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to German.

Typical Bahamian documents:

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

Typical Swiss residency documents:

  • Passport
  • Employment contract or business plan
  • Criminal record certificate
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Health insurance valid in Switzerland
  • Financial evidence

Apostilled and translated where required.

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