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

	Malta Europe	Spain Europe	Brazil Latin America	Serbia 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.	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.	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.	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.
Best for	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living	Latin America hub Founders Families Digital nomads	Founders IT professionals Cost of living Regional hub
Currency	EUR	EUR	BRL	RSD
Language	English / Maltese	Spanish	Portuguese	Serbian
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC-3	UTC+1
EU member	Yes	Yes	No	No
Schengen	Yes	Yes	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.	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.	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	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.
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.	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.	Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.	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.
Banking	Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.	Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.
Family	Family reunification is supported on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.	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.	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. International schools (English, French, Russian) are available in Belgrade.
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 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	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 Serbia: Tax residency triggers VAT registration timing Processing variations between MUP offices EU Schengen access requires planning for cross-border travel
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 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	Typical Brazilian documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents Proof of income or investment Photographs to specification Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes	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.

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

Countries

Europe

Europe

Latin America

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.

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.

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.

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.

Best for

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

Latin America hub
Founders
Families
Digital nomads

Founders
IT professionals
Cost of living
Regional hub

Currency

EUR

BRL

RSD

Language

English / Maltese

Spanish

Portuguese

Serbian

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-3

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Banking

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

Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.

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

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

Family

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

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.

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. International schools (English, French, Russian) are available in Belgrade.

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 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

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 Serbia:

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

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 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

Typical Brazilian documents:

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

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.