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	Hong Kong Asia	Italy Europe	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.	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.	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	Families Remote workers EU access Long-term residency	HNW Founders Forfait fiscal Stability
Currency	HKD	EUR	CHF
Language	Cantonese / English	Italian	German / French / Italian
Time zone	UTC+8	UTC+1	UTC+1
EU member	No	Yes	No
Schengen	No	Yes	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	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.	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.	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.	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.	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking and certain non-standard structures require coordination. Bordercase introduces banking partners where useful.	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 reunification is supported. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.	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 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 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 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 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.

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