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Bordercase

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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.

 HK flagHong Kong

Asia

IT flagItaly

Europe

MX flagMexico

North America

OverviewHong 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.Italy offers EU residency routes for self-employed, entrepreneurs, retirees, and recently a digital nomad / remote worker route. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Italian partners for filings and tax planning.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.
Best for
  • Founders
  • Banking
  • Holding structures
  • English admin
  • Families
  • Remote workers
  • EU access
  • Long-term residency
  • Founders
  • Families
  • Latin America hub
  • Cost of living
CurrencyHKDEURMXN
LanguageCantonese / EnglishItalianSpanish
Time zoneUTC+8UTC+1UTC-6
EU memberNoYesNo
SchengenNoYesNo
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

Italian residency routes:

  • Elective Residency Visa - passive income, no employment in Italy
  • Self-employment visa (within quota)
  • Entrepreneur visa
  • Investor visa
  • Digital nomad / remote worker - for qualified professionals

Flat-tax regime (Article 24-bis) and impatriate regime may apply.

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.

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.

SRL (Limited Liability Company) and SRL Semplificata are the standard structures. Italian tax residency triggers worldwide reporting; the flat-tax regime for new residents (article 24-bis) and the impatriate regime may apply to eligible individuals.

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.

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.

Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking and certain non-standard structures require coordination. Bordercase introduces banking partners where useful.

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.

Family

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

Family reunification is supported. Public and private schools 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.

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 Italy:

  • Tax residency triggers
  • Flat-tax regime eligibility and possible revocation
  • Regional administrative variation
  • Language and bureaucratic friction
  • Impatriate regime conditions vary

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
Documents

Typical Hong Kong documents:

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

Typical Italian residency documents:

  • Passport
  • Criminal record certificate
  • Proof of income (significant for elective residency)
  • Health insurance valid in Italy
  • Accommodation evidence
  • Codice fiscale (tax number)

Apostille and certified Italian translation where required.

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

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