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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.

 MT flagMalta

Europe

AM flagArmenia

Europe

CH flagSwitzerland

Europe

OverviewMalta is an EU member state with established residency, company, and family relocation routes. English is widely spoken and regulatory processes are well documented. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Maltese partners for filings.Armenia has become an accessible relocation and operational base since 2022, with a maturing IT sector, simple residency routes, and a competitive tax framework. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Armenian partners for filings.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
  • Holding structures
  • EU access
  • English admin
  • Founders
  • IT professionals
  • Tax simplification
  • Banking diversification
  • Regional hub
  • HNW
  • Founders
  • Forfait fiscal
  • Stability
CurrencyEURAMDCHF
LanguageEnglish / MalteseArmenianGerman / French / Italian
Time zoneUTC+1UTC+4UTC+1
EU memberYesNoNo
SchengenYesNoYes
Residency

Maltese residency routes:

  • Nomad Residence Permit - eligible remote workers
  • Malta Permanent Residency Programme (MPRP) - investor route
  • Employment routes
  • Family reunification

The citizenship-by-naturalisation-for-exceptional-services programme is closed to new applicants.

Common Armenian residency routes:

  • Temporary residence - issued for 1 year, renewable; granted for work, study, business, family, or Armenian ancestry
  • Permanent residence - typically 5 years renewable; available after qualifying temporary stay or other qualifying ground
  • Special residence - 10-year status for individuals of Armenian descent or those of significant value to Armenia
  • Family reunification - spouse, children, dependant parents

Many nationalities can enter visa-free or with a simple e-visa for up to 180 days, which is often used to plan the right route.

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

Maltese companies are commonly used for trading, IP holding, and gaming / fintech structures. Substance, accounting, and tax-refund mechanisms are well established but require careful structuring.

Standard Armenian entities and tax treatment:

  • LLC (Sahmanapak Pataskhanatvutyamb Enkerutyun) - the default private entity; fast online formation
  • Individual Entrepreneur (IE) - simple setup; Turnover Tax regime at 5% (or category-specific rates) for qualifying small businesses
  • IT Sector incentives - certified IT companies have historically benefited from reduced corporate tax and payroll incentives (programmes are revised periodically)
  • Standard CIT is 18%; dividend withholding is 5% for residents

Bordercase coordinates structure choice to match real activity and current incentive frameworks.

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; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.

Personal and corporate banking is broadly accessible through Ameriabank, ACBA Bank, Ardshinbank, and others - typically with USD, EUR, RUB, and AMD accounts. Onboarding is straightforward for clean cases; expect source-of-funds questions for larger flows. Bordercase coordinates introductions 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 reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.

Family reunification is supported across most routes. English-language international schools are available in Yerevan. Healthcare is a mix of public and private; private cover is recommended for relocating families.

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 Malta:

  • Substance requirements (real operations, real director time)
  • Tax classification disputes
  • Banking timelines - EU-wide AML pressure
  • EU anti-abuse rules tighten ongoing

Risks Bordercase watches for in Armenia:

  • Tax residency triggers - 183 days makes you tax-resident under Armenian rules
  • IT certification scope - incentives apply only to certified, qualifying activities
  • Russia/EAEU exposure - Armenia is part of EAEU; some structures benefit from this, others raise sanctions/banking flags
  • Source-of-funds scrutiny for non-standard transfer corridors
  • Permit renewals - documentation continuity matters across cycles

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

Standard EU residency document pack for Malta:

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

Apostille or legalisation where required.

Typical Armenian residency documents:

  • Passport (6+ months valid)
  • Proof of basis (employment, business, study, ancestry, family)
  • Proof of accommodation
  • Health insurance
  • Bank statements / proof of income
  • Criminal record certificate (apostilled, where required)
  • Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

Apostille and certified translation into Armenian 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.

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