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Countries

	Hong Kong Asia	Spain Europe	Mauritius Africa	Italy 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.	Spain offers structured EU residency routes for individuals, families, and entrepreneurs, including the digital nomad visa introduced under the Startups Law. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Spanish partners for filings.	Mauritius is a stable jurisdiction with structured residency and corporate routes, often combined for international families and founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mauritian 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.
Best for	Founders Banking Holding structures English admin	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living	Founders Banking Trust HNW English admin	Families Remote workers EU access Long-term residency
Currency	HKD	EUR	MUR	EUR
Language	Cantonese / English	Spanish	English / French	Italian
Time zone	UTC+8	UTC+1	UTC+4	UTC+1
EU member	No	Yes	No	Yes
Schengen	No	Yes	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	Spanish residency routes: Non-Lucrative Visa - passive income, no employment in Spain Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers and self-employed (Startups Law) Self-Employed Visa Entrepreneur Visa EU citizen-derivative routes The Golden Visa has been phased out for real estate purchases.	Mauritius residency routes: Premium Visa - remote work Occupation Permit - investor / professional / self-employed Residence Permit by property purchase - within approved schemes Family 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.
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.	SL (Sociedad Limitada) is the standard private company. Registration involves NIE / NIF, notary, mercantile registry, and tax registration. Spanish tax residency triggers worldwide income reporting; the Beckham Law (special tax regime) may apply to eligible relocated workers.	GBC (Global Business Company) and Domestic Companies are the standard structures. Substance requirements following OECD reforms must be considered; the GBC framework has evolved materially.	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.
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.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.	Local banks support resident and corporate accounts; KYC and source-of-funds requirements are real. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking and certain non-standard structures require coordination. Bordercase introduces banking partners where useful.
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 on most residency routes after a qualifying period. Schools (public, private, international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.	Family inclusion is supported. International schools are available in major regions.	Family reunification is supported. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.
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 Spain: Tax residency triggers - 183 days + centre of interests Beckham Law (special regime) eligibility Autonomous-community tax variation Hacienda audits when planning is unclear Past Schengen overstays must be disclosed	Risks Bordercase watches for in Mauritius: Substance reform impacts on Global Business Companies FATCA / CRS reporting on related accounts Mauritian residency vs physical-presence-based tax residence elsewhere Banking introductions vary by activity	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
Documents	Typical Hong Kong documents: Passport CV Education certificates Employment history Company documents (where applicable) Family certificates with notarisation	Typical Spanish residency documents: Passport NIE (foreigner identification number) Criminal record certificate with apostille Proof of income / assets Health insurance with full cover in Spain Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family routes	Typical Mauritius documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of income / investment Health insurance Accommodation evidence Marriage / birth certificates for family Apostille where required.	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.

Asia

Europe

Africa

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.

Spain offers structured EU residency routes for individuals, families, and entrepreneurs, including the digital nomad visa introduced under the Startups Law. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Spanish partners for filings.

Mauritius is a stable jurisdiction with structured residency and corporate routes, often combined for international families and founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mauritian 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.

Best for

Founders
Banking
Holding structures
English admin

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

Founders
Banking
Trust
HNW
English admin

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Long-term residency

Currency

HKD

EUR

MUR

EUR

Language

Cantonese / English

Spanish

English / French

Italian

Time zone

UTC+8

UTC+1

UTC+4

UTC+1

EU member

Yes

Schengen

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

Spanish residency routes:

Non-Lucrative Visa - passive income, no employment in Spain
Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers and self-employed (Startups Law)
Self-Employed Visa
Entrepreneur Visa
EU citizen-derivative routes

The Golden Visa has been phased out for real estate purchases.

Mauritius residency routes:

Premium Visa - remote work
Occupation Permit - investor / professional / self-employed
Residence Permit by property purchase - within approved schemes
Family 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.

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.

SL (Sociedad Limitada) is the standard private company. Registration involves NIE / NIF, notary, mercantile registry, and tax registration. Spanish tax residency triggers worldwide income reporting; the Beckham Law (special tax regime) may apply to eligible relocated workers.

GBC (Global Business Company) and Domestic Companies are the standard structures. Substance requirements following OECD reforms must be considered; the GBC framework has evolved materially.

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.

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.

Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.

Local banks support resident and corporate accounts; KYC and source-of-funds requirements are real. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

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

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 on most residency routes after a qualifying period. Schools (public, private, international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.

Family inclusion is supported. International schools are available in major regions.

Family reunification is supported. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

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 Spain:

Tax residency triggers - 183 days + centre of interests
Beckham Law (special regime) eligibility
Autonomous-community tax variation
Hacienda audits when planning is unclear
Past Schengen overstays must be disclosed

Risks Bordercase watches for in Mauritius:

Substance reform impacts on Global Business Companies
FATCA / CRS reporting on related accounts
Mauritian residency vs physical-presence-based tax residence elsewhere
Banking introductions vary by activity

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

Documents

Typical Hong Kong documents:

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

Typical Spanish residency documents:

Passport
NIE (foreigner identification number)
Criminal record certificate with apostille
Proof of income / assets
Health insurance with full cover in Spain
Accommodation evidence
Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

Typical Mauritius documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of income / investment
Health insurance
Accommodation evidence
Marriage / birth certificates for family

Apostille where required.

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.