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Countries

	Germany Europe	Saint Lucia Central America & Caribbean	Romania Europe	Chile Latin America
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.	Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.	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.	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.
Best for	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency	Founders Digital nomads EU access Cost of living	Latin America hub Stable economy Founders Families
Currency	EUR	XCD	RON	CLP
Language	German	English	Romanian	Spanish
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-4	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).	Saint Lucia routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes	Romanian residency routes: Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card) Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers Business / investor routes Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	Chilean residency routes: Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity Investor / entrepreneur routes Family reunification Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period
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.	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.	SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.	SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.
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 selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.	Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on 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.	CBI can include qualifying dependents.	Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.
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 Saint Lucia: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented	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 Chile: Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting Processing variations between regions RUT timing for non-residents
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 CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation	Typical Romanian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Romanian.	Typical Chilean documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or investment Health insurance Spanish translations where required

Germany

Europe

Saint Lucia

Central America & Caribbean

Romania

Europe

Chile

Latin America

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.

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

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.

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.

Best for

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Founders
Digital nomads
EU access
Cost of living

Latin America hub
Stable economy
Founders
Families

Currency

EUR

XCD

RON

CLP

Language

German

English

Romanian

Spanish

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-4

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).

Saint Lucia routes:

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

Romanian residency routes:

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

Chilean residency routes:

Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity
Investor / entrepreneur routes
Family reunification
Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period

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.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

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

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

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 selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.

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

Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on 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.

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

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

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

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 Saint Lucia:

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

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 Chile:

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

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 CBI documents:

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

Typical Romanian residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to Romanian.

Typical Chilean documents:

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