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	Malta Europe	Brazil Latin America	Spain 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.	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.
Best for	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living
Currency	EUR	BRL	EUR
Language	English / Maltese	Portuguese	Spanish
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC-3	UTC+1
EU member	Yes	No	Yes
Schengen	Yes	No	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	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.
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.	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.
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.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.
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 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.
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 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
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 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

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