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Countries

	Germany Europe	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Romania Europe	Slovakia 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.	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.	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.	Slovakia offers EU residency and corporate structures with a stable regulatory environment and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Slovak partners for filings.
Best for	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Holding structures International funds English admin	Founders Digital nomads EU access Cost of living	Founders EU access Cost of living
Currency	EUR	USD	RON	EUR
Language	German	English	Romanian	Slovak
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-4	UTC+2	UTC+1
EU member	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Schengen	Yes	No	Yes	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).	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	Romanian residency routes: Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card) Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers Business / investor routes Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	Slovak residency routes: Employment-based residence Start-up visa - innovative businesses Business / self-employment Family reunification EU citizen-derivative 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.	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.	SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.	S.R.O. (private limited) is the standard entity, with relatively low minimum capital and well-established formation processes. VAT registration depends on activity.
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 access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking varies by activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.
Family	Family reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.	Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Bratislava.
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 BVI: Economic substance reporting UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform Reputational handling around offshore structures	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 Slovakia: Tax residency triggers VAT registration timing for cross-border services Processing variations between districts
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 BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Romanian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Romanian.	Typical Slovak residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Health insurance Employment or business documentation Family certificates with apostille and translation

Germany

Europe

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Romania

Europe

Slovakia

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.

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.

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.

Slovakia offers EU residency and corporate structures with a stable regulatory environment and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Slovak partners for filings.

Best for

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Founders
Digital nomads
EU access
Cost of living

Founders
EU access
Cost of living

Currency

EUR

USD

RON

EUR

Language

German

English

Romanian

Slovak

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-4

UTC+2

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).

BVI presence options:

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

Romanian residency routes:

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

Slovak residency routes:

Employment-based residence
Start-up visa - innovative businesses
Business / self-employment
Family reunification
EU citizen-derivative 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.

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

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

S.R.O. (private limited) is the standard entity, with relatively low minimum capital and well-established formation processes. VAT registration depends on activity.

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 access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

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

Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking varies by activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Family

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

Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.

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

Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Bratislava.

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 BVI:

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

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 Slovakia:

Tax residency triggers
VAT registration timing for cross-border services
Processing variations between districts

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 BVI documents:

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

Typical Romanian residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to Romanian.

Typical Slovak residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of address
Health insurance
Employment or business documentation
Family certificates with apostille and translation