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Bordercase

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.

 MX flagMexico

North America

CL flagChile

Latin America

VG flagBritish Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

OverviewMexico is a large North American economy with established routes for residency, growing remote-worker visa programs, and a strong fit for founders building toward Latin American customers. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Mexican partners for filings.Chile is a stable Latin American economy with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and growing relevance for international founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Chilean partners for filings.The British Virgin Islands is a long-standing jurisdiction for BVI Business Companies used in international structures. Substance and reporting have tightened materially. Bordercase coordinates with licensed BVI partners.
Best for
  • Founders
  • Families
  • Latin America hub
  • Cost of living
  • Latin America hub
  • Stable economy
  • Founders
  • Families
  • Holding structures
  • International funds
  • English admin
CurrencyMXNCLPUSD
LanguageSpanishSpanishEnglish
Time zoneUTC-6UTC-4UTC-4
EU memberNoNoNo
SchengenNoNoNo
Residency

Mexican residency routes:

  • Temporary resident visa - via investment, employment, or qualifying income
  • Permanent resident visa - via qualifying assets, retirement income, or after 4 years of temporary residency
  • Family unity routes - for spouse and dependents of permanent residents / citizens
  • Student visa

Permanent residency unlocks indefinite stay with work authorisation.

Chilean residency routes:

  • Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity
  • Investor / entrepreneur routes
  • Family reunification
  • Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period

BVI presence options:

  • Work permits - employer-sponsored
  • Residency for HNW under specific programmes
  • Limited tourist / business visit arrangements
Company setup

SA de CV (Sociedad Anónima) and S de RL de CV are the standard private entity types. Formation involves a notary, RFC (tax registration), and IMSS where staff are involved. Mexican tax residency is triggered by primary home and centre of economic interests.

SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.

BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.

Banking

Resident personal banking is broadly accessible; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Source of funds and ownership clarity are central. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Family

Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are widely available in major cities; bilingual public and private schools are common.

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.

Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in Mexico:

  • Centre-of-economic-interests test for tax residency
  • Real-estate restrictions in the "restricted zone" (50 km from coast, 100 km from borders) - fideicomiso or Mexican company structure needed
  • Income thresholds for temporary / permanent routes change with minimum wage indexation
  • Late-stage RFC and CURP registrations

Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile:

  • Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting
  • Processing variations between regions
  • RUT timing for non-residents

Risks Bordercase watches for in the BVI:

  • Economic substance reporting
  • UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform
  • Reputational handling around offshore structures
Documents

Typical Mexican documents:

  • Passport
  • Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record)
  • Proof of income or qualifying assets
  • Photographs to specification
  • Mexican consular application abroad for most routes

Typical Chilean documents:

  • Passport
  • Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record)
  • Proof of income or investment
  • Health insurance
  • Spanish translations where required

Typical BVI documents:

  • Passport
  • Source-of-funds evidence
  • KYC for all UBOs
  • Apostilled foreign documents

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