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

Pick countries to compare (4/4)

Countries

	Italy Europe	Montenegro Europe	Serbia Europe	Brazil Latin America
Overview	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.	Montenegro is a non-EU European country with structured residency routes, EU candidate status, and a growing role as a base for founders and remote workers in the region. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Montenegrin partners.	Serbia is an attractive non-EU European jurisdiction for founders, IT professionals, and remote workers - with accessible residency and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Serbian partners for filings.	Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.
Best for	Families Remote workers EU access Long-term residency	Cost of living Coastal living Regional residency	Founders IT professionals Cost of living Regional hub	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads
Currency	EUR	EUR	RSD	BRL
Language	Italian	Montenegrin / Serbian	Serbian	Portuguese
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC-3
EU member	Yes	No	No	No
Schengen	Yes	No	No	No
Residency	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.	Montenegrin residency routes: Temporary residence via employment Business / self-employment Real-estate ownership Family reunification Permanent residence typically after 5 years.	Serbian residency routes: Temporary residence via employment Self-employment / business Real-estate ownership Family reunification IT-focused residency framework Permanent residence typically after 3 years of continuous temporary residence.	Brazilian residency routes: Investor visa (VIPER / VITEM) - qualifying investment in a Brazilian business Digital nomad visa - remote workers Retirement visa - qualifying pension income Family reunification Employer-sponsored work permits
Company setup	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.	DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented and reasonably fast. Tax and VAT registration follow.	DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented, with online steps available. Tax registration (PIB) and APR (Business Registers Agency) registration follow.	Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.
Banking	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking and certain non-standard structures require coordination. Bordercase introduces banking partners where useful.	Personal banking for residents is accessible. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions where useful.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.	Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.
Family	Family reunification is supported. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.	Family inclusion on residency applications is supported. International schools are available in Podgorica and on the coast.	Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, Russian) are available in Belgrade.	Family reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.
Risks	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 Montenegro: Tax residency triggers EU accession dynamics may change rules over time Processing variations between municipalities Schengen entry / exit considerations for travel planning	Risks Bordercase watches for in Serbia: Tax residency triggers VAT registration timing Processing variations between MUP offices EU Schengen access requires planning for cross-border travel	Risks Bordercase watches for in Brazil: Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions Document apostille + Portuguese translation
Documents	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 Montenegrin residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated.	Typical Serbian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.) Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Serbian.	Typical Brazilian documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents Proof of income or investment Photographs to specification Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes

Europe

Europe

Europe

Latin America

Overview

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.

Montenegro is a non-EU European country with structured residency routes, EU candidate status, and a growing role as a base for founders and remote workers in the region. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Montenegrin partners.

Serbia is an attractive non-EU European jurisdiction for founders, IT professionals, and remote workers - with accessible residency and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Serbian partners for filings.

Brazil is the largest Latin American economy with structured residency routes and growing remote-worker visa pathways. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Brazilian partners for filings.

Best for

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Long-term residency

Cost of living
Coastal living
Regional residency

Founders
IT professionals
Cost of living
Regional hub

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

Currency

EUR

RSD

BRL

Language

Italian

Montenegrin / Serbian

Serbian

Portuguese

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-3

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

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.

Montenegrin residency routes:

Temporary residence via employment
Business / self-employment
Real-estate ownership
Family reunification

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

Serbian residency routes:

Temporary residence via employment
Self-employment / business
Real-estate ownership
Family reunification
IT-focused residency framework

Permanent residence typically after 3 years of continuous temporary residence.

Brazilian residency routes:

Investor visa (VIPER / VITEM) - qualifying investment in a Brazilian business
Digital nomad visa - remote workers
Retirement visa - qualifying pension income
Family reunification
Employer-sponsored work permits

Company setup

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.

DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented and reasonably fast. Tax and VAT registration follow.

DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented, with online steps available. Tax registration (PIB) and APR (Business Registers Agency) registration follow.

Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.

Banking

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

Personal banking for residents is accessible. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions where useful.

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.

Family

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

Family inclusion on residency applications is supported. International schools are available in Podgorica and on the coast.

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, Russian) are available in Belgrade.

Family reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.

Risks

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 Montenegro:

Tax residency triggers
EU accession dynamics may change rules over time
Processing variations between municipalities
Schengen entry / exit considerations for travel planning

Risks Bordercase watches for in Serbia:

Tax residency triggers
VAT registration timing
Processing variations between MUP offices
EU Schengen access requires planning for cross-border travel

Risks Bordercase watches for in Brazil:

Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting
Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions
Document apostille + Portuguese translation

Documents

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 Montenegrin residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated.

Typical Serbian residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of address
Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.)
Health insurance
Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Serbian.

Typical Brazilian documents:

Passport
Apostilled foreign documents
Proof of income or investment
Photographs to specification
Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes