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Countries

	Germany Europe	Mexico North America	Hong Kong Asia
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.	Mexico is a large North American economy with established routes for residency, growing remote-worker visa programs, and a strong fit for founders building toward Latin American customers. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mexican partners for filings.	Hong Kong remains an active jurisdiction for company formation, banking introductions, and selected residency routes. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Hong Kong company-services and immigration partners.
Best for	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Founders Families Latin America hub Cost of living	Founders Banking Holding structures English admin
Currency	EUR	MXN	HKD
Language	German	Spanish	Cantonese / English
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-6	UTC+8
EU member	Yes	No	No
Schengen	Yes	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).	Mexican residency routes: Temporary resident visa - via investment, employment, or qualifying income Permanent resident visa - via qualifying assets, retirement income, or after 4 years of temporary residency Family unity routes - for spouse and dependents of permanent residents / citizens Student visa Permanent residency unlocks indefinite stay with work authorisation.	Hong Kong residency routes: General Employment Policy (GEP) Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS) Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS) Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) - recently revived Dependant 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.	SA de CV (Sociedad Anónima) and S de RL de CV are the standard private entity types. Formation involves a notary, RFC (tax registration), and IMSS where staff are involved. Mexican tax residency is triggered by primary home and centre of economic interests.	Hong Kong Limited companies are widely used for trading and holding structures. Annual filings, audited accounts, and a company secretary are required. Substance expectations and BEPS-driven changes affect ongoing planning.
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.	Resident personal banking is broadly accessible; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Source of funds and ownership clarity are central. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Local banking has tightened materially; some non-resident structures face long onboarding or rejection. EMIs and Singapore / Dubai banking are common alternatives. 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 reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are widely available in major cities; bilingual public and private schools are common.	Family relocation is supported on most residency routes. Schools (local, private, ESF, international) are competitive; international school waitlists are real.
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 Mexico: Centre-of-economic-interests test for tax residency Real-estate restrictions in the "restricted zone" (50 km from coast, 100 km from borders) - fideicomiso or Mexican company structure needed Income thresholds for temporary / permanent routes change with minimum wage indexation Late-stage RFC and CURP registrations	Risks Bordercase watches for in Hong Kong: Company-only setups without substance face banking and audit friction Banking has tightened materially Political / policy shifts must be factored into long-horizon planning Annual audit and filing discipline is real
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 Mexican documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or qualifying assets Photographs to specification Mexican consular application abroad for most routes	Typical Hong Kong documents: Passport CV Education certificates Employment history Company documents (where applicable) Family certificates with notarisation

Germany

Europe

Mexico

North America

Hong Kong

Asia

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.

Mexico is a large North American economy with established routes for residency, growing remote-worker visa programs, and a strong fit for founders building toward Latin American customers. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mexican partners for filings.

Hong Kong remains an active jurisdiction for company formation, banking introductions, and selected residency routes. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Hong Kong company-services and immigration partners.

Best for

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Founders
Families
Latin America hub
Cost of living

Founders
Banking
Holding structures
English admin

Currency

EUR

MXN

HKD

Language

German

Spanish

Cantonese / English

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-6

UTC+8

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).

Mexican residency routes:

Temporary resident visa - via investment, employment, or qualifying income
Permanent resident visa - via qualifying assets, retirement income, or after 4 years of temporary residency
Family unity routes - for spouse and dependents of permanent residents / citizens
Student visa

Permanent residency unlocks indefinite stay with work authorisation.

Hong Kong residency routes:

General Employment Policy (GEP)
Quality Migrant Admission Scheme (QMAS)
Top Talent Pass Scheme (TTPS)
Capital Investment Entrant Scheme (CIES) - recently revived
Dependant 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.

SA de CV (Sociedad Anónima) and S de RL de CV are the standard private entity types. Formation involves a notary, RFC (tax registration), and IMSS where staff are involved. Mexican tax residency is triggered by primary home and centre of economic interests.

Hong Kong Limited companies are widely used for trading and holding structures. Annual filings, audited accounts, and a company secretary are required. Substance expectations and BEPS-driven changes affect ongoing planning.

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.

Resident personal banking is broadly accessible; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Source of funds and ownership clarity are central. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Local banking has tightened materially; some non-resident structures face long onboarding or rejection. EMIs and Singapore / Dubai banking are common alternatives. 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 reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are widely available in major cities; bilingual public and private schools are common.

Family relocation is supported on most residency routes. Schools (local, private, ESF, international) are competitive; international school waitlists are real.

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 Mexico:

Centre-of-economic-interests test for tax residency
Real-estate restrictions in the "restricted zone" (50 km from coast, 100 km from borders) - fideicomiso or Mexican company structure needed
Income thresholds for temporary / permanent routes change with minimum wage indexation
Late-stage RFC and CURP registrations

Risks Bordercase watches for in Hong Kong:

Company-only setups without substance face banking and audit friction
Banking has tightened materially
Political / policy shifts must be factored into long-horizon planning
Annual audit and filing discipline is real

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 Mexican documents:

Passport
Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record)
Proof of income or qualifying assets
Photographs to specification
Mexican consular application abroad for most routes

Typical Hong Kong documents:

Passport
CV
Education certificates
Employment history
Company documents (where applicable)
Family certificates with notarisation