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	Malta Europe	Slovakia Europe	Dominica Central America & Caribbean	Romania 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.	Slovakia offers EU residency and corporate structures with a stable regulatory environment and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Slovak partners for filings.	Dominica is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a long-standing Citizenship by Investment programme. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.	Romania is an EU member state with structured residency routes, accessible company formation, and competitive costs for founders and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Romanian partners.
Best for	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Founders EU access Cost of living	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency	Founders Digital nomads EU access Cost of living
Currency	EUR	EUR	XCD	RON
Language	English / Maltese	Slovak	English	Romanian
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC-4	UTC+2
EU member	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Schengen	Yes	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.	Slovak residency routes: Employment-based residence Start-up visa - innovative businesses Business / self-employment Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	Dominica routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes	Romanian residency routes: Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card) Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers Business / investor routes Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes
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.	S.R.O. (private limited) is the standard entity, with relatively low minimum capital and well-established formation processes. VAT registration depends on activity.	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.	SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.
Banking	Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking varies by activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.
Family	Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.	Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Bratislava.	CBI can include qualifying dependents.	Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.
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 Slovakia: Tax residency triggers VAT registration timing for cross-border services Processing variations between districts	Risks Bordercase watches for in Dominica: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented	Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania: Tax residency triggers Microcompany regime eligibility Processing variations between counties Schengen entry / exit rules now apply
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 Slovak residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Health insurance Employment or business documentation Family certificates with apostille and translation	Typical CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation	Typical Romanian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Romanian.

Malta

Europe

Slovakia

Europe

Dominica

Central America & Caribbean

Romania

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.

Slovakia offers EU residency and corporate structures with a stable regulatory environment and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Slovak partners for filings.

Dominica is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a long-standing Citizenship by Investment programme. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.

Romania is an EU member state with structured residency routes, accessible company formation, and competitive costs for founders and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Romanian partners.

Best for

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Founders
EU access
Cost of living

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Founders
Digital nomads
EU access
Cost of living

Currency

EUR

XCD

RON

Language

English / Maltese

Slovak

English

Romanian

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-4

UTC+2

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.

Slovak residency routes:

Employment-based residence
Start-up visa - innovative businesses
Business / self-employment
Family reunification
EU citizen-derivative routes

Dominica routes:

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment
Standard work permits
Family routes

Romanian residency routes:

Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card)
Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers
Business / investor routes
Family reunification
EU citizen-derivative routes

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.

S.R.O. (private limited) is the standard entity, with relatively low minimum capital and well-established formation processes. VAT registration depends on activity.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.

Banking

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

Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking varies by activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.

Family

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

Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Bratislava.

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.

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 Slovakia:

Tax residency triggers
VAT registration timing for cross-border services
Processing variations between districts

Risks Bordercase watches for in Dominica:

Programme parameters change
Due diligence has tightened
Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented

Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania:

Tax residency triggers
Microcompany regime eligibility
Processing variations between counties
Schengen entry / exit rules now apply

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 Slovak residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of address
Health insurance
Employment or business documentation
Family certificates with apostille and translation

Typical CBI documents:

Passport
Due diligence questionnaires
Source-of-funds evidence (extensive)
Family certificates with apostille and translation

Typical Romanian residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to Romanian.