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Countries

	Germany Europe	Brazil Latin America	Romania Europe	Saint Lucia Central America & Caribbean
Overview	Germany 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.	Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.	Romania is an EU member state with structured residency routes, accessible company formation, and competitive costs for founders and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Romanian partners.	Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.
Best for	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	Founders Digital nomads EU access Cost of living	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency
Currency	EUR	BRL	RON	XCD
Language	German	Portuguese	Romanian	English
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-3	UTC+2	UTC-4
EU member	Yes	No	Yes	No
Schengen	Yes	No	Yes	No
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).	Brazilian residency routes: Investor visa (VIPER / VITEM) - qualifying investment in a Brazilian business Digital nomad visa - remote workers Retirement visa - qualifying pension income Family reunification Employer-sponsored work permits	Romanian residency routes: Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card) Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers Business / investor routes Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	Saint Lucia routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes
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.	Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.	SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.
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.	Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.	Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking 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 reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.	Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.	CBI can include qualifying dependents.
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 Brazil: Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions Document apostille + Portuguese translation	Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania: Tax residency triggers Microcompany regime eligibility Processing variations between counties Schengen entry / exit rules now apply	Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented
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 Brazilian documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents Proof of income or investment Photographs to specification Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes	Typical Romanian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Romanian.	Typical CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation

Europe

Latin America

Europe

Central America & Caribbean

Overview

Germany 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.

Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.

Romania is an EU member state with structured residency routes, accessible company formation, and competitive costs for founders and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Romanian partners.

Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.

Best for

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

Founders
Digital nomads
EU access
Cost of living

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Currency

EUR

BRL

RON

XCD

Language

German

Portuguese

Romanian

English

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-3

UTC+2

UTC-4

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

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).

Brazilian residency routes:

Investor visa (VIPER / VITEM) - qualifying investment in a Brazilian business
Digital nomad visa - remote workers
Retirement visa - qualifying pension income
Family reunification
Employer-sponsored work permits

Romanian residency routes:

Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card)
Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers
Business / investor routes
Family reunification
EU citizen-derivative routes

Saint Lucia routes:

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment
Standard work permits
Family routes

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.

Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.

SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

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.

Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.

Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking 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 reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

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 Brazil:

Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting
Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions
Document apostille + Portuguese translation

Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania:

Tax residency triggers
Microcompany regime eligibility
Processing variations between counties
Schengen entry / exit rules now apply

Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia:

Programme parameters change
Due diligence has tightened
Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented

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 Brazilian documents:

Passport
Apostilled foreign documents
Proof of income or investment
Photographs to specification
Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes

Typical Romanian residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of address
Basis for residence
Health insurance
Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Romanian.

Typical CBI documents:

Passport
Due diligence questionnaires
Source-of-funds evidence (extensive)
Family certificates with apostille and translation