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

	Malta Europe	Brazil Latin America	Bahamas Central America & Caribbean	Montenegro Europe
Overview	Malta 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.	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.	The Bahamas is a Caribbean jurisdiction with structured residency routes including the Economic Permanent Residence and an active fund / family-office sector. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bahamian partners.	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.
Best for	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	HNW Funds Family offices English admin	Cost of living Coastal living Regional residency
Currency	EUR	BRL	BSD	EUR
Language	English / Maltese	Portuguese	English	Montenegrin / Serbian
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-3	UTC-5	UTC+1
EU member	Yes	No	No	No
Schengen	Yes	No	No	No
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.	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	Bahamian residency routes: Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment Annual residence permits for HNW Work permits - employer-sponsored Family routes	Montenegrin residency routes: Temporary residence via employment Business / self-employment Real-estate ownership Family reunification Permanent residence typically after 5 years.
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.	Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.	IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.	DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented and reasonably fast. Tax and VAT registration follow.
Banking	Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.	Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.	Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	Personal banking for residents is accessible. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions where useful.
Family	Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.	Family reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.	Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.	Family inclusion on residency applications is supported. International schools are available in Podgorica and on the coast.
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 Brazil: Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions Document apostille + Portuguese translation	Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas: Economic substance reporting Property due diligence Reputational handling around offshore structures	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
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 Brazilian documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents Proof of income or investment Photographs to specification Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes	Typical Bahamian documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence Health and police clearances Apostilled foreign documents	Typical Montenegrin residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated.

Malta

Europe

Brazil

Latin America

Bahamas

Central America & Caribbean

Montenegro

Europe

Overview

Malta 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.

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.

The Bahamas is a Caribbean jurisdiction with structured residency routes including the Economic Permanent Residence and an active fund / family-office sector. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bahamian partners.

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.

Best for

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

HNW
Funds
Family offices
English admin

Cost of living
Coastal living
Regional residency

Currency

EUR

BRL

BSD

EUR

Language

English / Maltese

Portuguese

English

Montenegrin / Serbian

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-3

UTC-5

UTC+1

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

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.

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

Bahamian residency routes:

Economic Permanent Residence - qualifying property investment
Annual residence permits for HNW
Work permits - employer-sponsored
Family routes

Montenegrin residency routes:

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

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

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.

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

IBCs (International Business Companies) are widely used; substance and reporting are now real. Funds and family-office structures are common.

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

Banking

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

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

Banking is selective and source-of-funds focused. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

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

Family

Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.

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

Family inclusion is supported on most routes. International schools are concentrated on New Providence.

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

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 Brazil:

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in the Bahamas:

Economic substance reporting
Property due diligence
Reputational handling around offshore structures

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

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 Brazilian documents:

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

Typical Bahamian documents:

Passport
Source-of-funds evidence
Health and police clearances
Apostilled foreign documents

Typical Montenegrin residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated.