Compare

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.

Start your assessment All countries

Pick countries to compare (4/4)

Countries

	Germany Europe	Cayman Islands Central America & Caribbean	Chile Latin America	Bahamas 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.	The Cayman Islands is an established offshore financial centre and a long-standing jurisdiction for fund, family-office, and holding structures. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Caymanian partners.	Chile is a stable Latin American economy with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and growing relevance for international founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Chilean 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.
Best for	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Funds Holding structures HNW English admin	Latin America hub Stable economy Founders Families	HNW Funds Family offices English admin
Currency	EUR	KYD	CLP	BSD
Language	German	English	Spanish	English
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-5	UTC-4	UTC-5
EU member	Yes	No	No	No
Schengen	Yes	No	No	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).	Cayman Islands residency routes: Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means - qualifying investment Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) - operating a qualifying business Work permits for employer-sponsored roles 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	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored 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.	Exempted Companies, LLCs, and partnerships are widely used in fund and holding structures. Economic substance rules apply to relevant activities.	SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.
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 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.	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. 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 residency routes. International schools are concentrated on Grand Cayman.	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.
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 Cayman Islands: Economic substance reporting and audit Reputational handling around offshore structures KYC tightening across the industry	Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile: Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting Processing variations between regions RUT timing for non-residents	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures
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 Cayman documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents Family certificates for dependents	Typical Chilean documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or investment Health insurance Spanish translations where required	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents

Germany

Europe

Cayman Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Chile

Latin America

Bahamas

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.

The Cayman Islands is an established offshore financial centre and a long-standing jurisdiction for fund, family-office, and holding structures. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Caymanian partners.

Chile is a stable Latin American economy with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and growing relevance for international founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Chilean 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.

Best for

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Funds
Holding structures
HNW
English admin

Latin America hub
Stable economy
Founders
Families

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Currency

EUR

KYD

CLP

BSD

Language

German

English

Spanish

English

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-5

UTC-4

UTC-5

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).

Cayman Islands residency routes:

Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means - qualifying investment
Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) - operating a qualifying business
Work permits for employer-sponsored roles
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

Bahamian residency routes:

Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment
Annual residence permits for HNW
Work permits - employer-sponsored
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.

Exempted Companies, LLCs, and partnerships are widely used in fund and holding structures. Economic substance rules apply to relevant activities.

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

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

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 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.

Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. 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 residency routes. International schools are concentrated on Grand Cayman.

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

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

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 Cayman Islands:

Economic substance reporting and audit
Reputational handling around offshore structures
KYC tightening across the industry

Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile:

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

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 Cayman documents:

Passport
Source-of-funds evidence
Health and police clearances
Apostilled foreign documents
Family certificates for dependents

Typical Chilean documents:

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

Typical Bahamian documents:

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