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Countries

	Germany Europe	Brazil Latin America	Uruguay Latin America	Spain Europe
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.	Uruguay is a stable South American jurisdiction with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and notable second-residence appeal for HNW relocators. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Uruguayan partners.	Spain offers structured EU residency routes for individuals, families, and entrepreneurs, including the digital nomad visa introduced under the Startups Law. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Spanish partners for filings.
Best for	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	HNW Stable economy Latin America hub Banking	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living
Currency	EUR	BRL	UYU	EUR
Language	German	Portuguese	Spanish	Spanish
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-3	UTC-3	UTC+1
EU member	Yes	No	No	Yes
Schengen	Yes	No	No	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	Uruguayan residency routes: Standard residency - proof of income / qualifying activity Investor route Retirement / pensioner route MERCOSUR fast-track for member-state nationals Family reunification	Spanish residency routes: Non-Lucrative Visa - passive income, no employment in Spain Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers and self-employed (Startups Law) Self-Employed Visa Entrepreneur Visa EU citizen-derivative routes The Golden Visa has been phased out for real estate purchases.
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.	SAS and SA are common structures. DGI tax registration and BPS social-security registration follow.	SL (Sociedad Limitada) is the standard private company. Registration involves NIE / NIF, notary, mercantile registry, and tax registration. Spanish tax residency triggers worldwide income reporting; the Beckham Law (special tax regime) may apply to eligible relocated workers.
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.	Residency unlocks personal banking. Uruguay has historically been a HNW banking destination in the region; standards have tightened materially.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.
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. Schools (public, private, bilingual, international) are concentrated in Montevideo and Punta del Este.	Family reunification is supported on most residency routes after a qualifying period. Schools (public, private, international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.
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 Uruguay: Tax residency triggers (the new-resident tax holiday has conditions) Banking documentation and source-of-funds rigor Apostille + Spanish translation requirements	Risks Bordercase watches for in Spain: Tax residency triggers - 183 days + centre of interests Beckham Law (special regime) eligibility Autonomous-community tax variation Hacienda audits when planning is unclear Past Schengen overstays must be disclosed
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 Uruguayan documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents Proof of income or investment Health insurance Spanish translations where required	Typical Spanish residency documents: Passport NIE (foreigner identification number) Criminal record certificate with apostille Proof of income / assets Health insurance with full cover in Spain Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

Europe

Latin America

Latin America

Europe

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.

Uruguay is a stable South American jurisdiction with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and notable second-residence appeal for HNW relocators. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Uruguayan partners.

Spain offers structured EU residency routes for individuals, families, and entrepreneurs, including the digital nomad visa introduced under the Startups Law. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Spanish partners for filings.

Best for

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

HNW
Stable economy
Latin America hub
Banking

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

Currency

EUR

BRL

UYU

EUR

Language

German

Portuguese

Spanish

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-3

UTC+1

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

Uruguayan residency routes:

Standard residency - proof of income / qualifying activity
Investor route
Retirement / pensioner route
MERCOSUR fast-track for member-state nationals
Family reunification

Spanish residency routes:

Non-Lucrative Visa - passive income, no employment in Spain
Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers and self-employed (Startups Law)
Self-Employed Visa
Entrepreneur Visa
EU citizen-derivative routes

The Golden Visa has been phased out for real estate purchases.

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.

SAS and SA are common structures. DGI tax registration and BPS social-security registration follow.

SL (Sociedad Limitada) is the standard private company. Registration involves NIE / NIF, notary, mercantile registry, and tax registration. Spanish tax residency triggers worldwide income reporting; the Beckham Law (special tax regime) may apply to eligible relocated workers.

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.

Residency unlocks personal banking. Uruguay has historically been a HNW banking destination in the region; standards have tightened materially.

Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.

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. Schools (public, private, bilingual, international) are concentrated in Montevideo and Punta del Este.

Family reunification is supported on most residency routes after a qualifying period. Schools (public, private, international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.

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 Uruguay:

Tax residency triggers (the new-resident tax holiday has conditions)
Banking documentation and source-of-funds rigor
Apostille + Spanish translation requirements

Risks Bordercase watches for in Spain:

Tax residency triggers - 183 days + centre of interests
Beckham Law (special regime) eligibility
Autonomous-community tax variation
Hacienda audits when planning is unclear
Past Schengen overstays must be disclosed

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 Uruguayan documents:

Passport
Apostilled foreign documents
Proof of income or investment
Health insurance
Spanish translations where required

Typical Spanish residency documents:

Passport
NIE (foreigner identification number)
Criminal record certificate with apostille
Proof of income / assets
Health insurance with full cover in Spain
Accommodation evidence
Marriage / birth certificates for family routes