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

	Hong Kong Asia	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean	Switzerland Europe
Overview	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.	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.	Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss partners for filings.
Best for	Founders Banking Holding structures English admin	Holding structures International funds English admin	HNW Founders Forfait fiscal Stability
Currency	HKD	USD	CHF
Language	Cantonese / English	English	German / French / Italian
Time zone	UTC+8	UTC-4	UTC+1
EU member	No	No	No
Schengen	No	No	Yes
Residency	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	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements	Swiss residency routes: Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons Business / investor routes EU / EFTA routes - under FMP Family reunification
Company setup	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.	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.	GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.
Banking	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.	Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.
Family	Family relocation is supported on most residency routes. Schools (local, private, ESF, international) are competitive; international school waitlists are real.	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.	Family reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.
Risks	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	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 Switzerland: Quotas for non-EU work permits Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation Banking gatekeeping for non-residents Substance and arm's-length pricing audits
Documents	Typical Hong Kong documents: Passport CV Education certificates Employment history Company documents (where applicable) Family certificates with notarisation	Typical BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Swiss residency documents: Passport Employment contract or business plan Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Health insurance valid in Switzerland Financial evidence Apostilled and translated where required.

Country pages stay the authoritative source. This view is a side-by-side; nothing here promises a particular outcome.