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	Mexico North America	Malta Europe	Portugal Europe
Overview	Mexico 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.	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.	Portugal is a popular EU destination for individuals, families, and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates assessment across the main residency routes and family relocation logistics, working with licensed Portuguese partners for filings.
Best for	Founders Families Latin America hub Cost of living	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Families Remote workers Founders EU access
Currency	MXN	EUR	EUR
Language	Spanish	English / Maltese	Portuguese
Time zone	UTC-6	UTC+1	UTC+1
EU member	No	Yes	Yes
Schengen	No	Yes	Yes
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.	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.	Common Portuguese residency routes: D7 - passive income / pension D8 - digital nomad / remote work D2 - entrepreneur / self-employed D3 - highly qualified workers Tech Visa - eligible tech roles via accredited companies Golden Visa - restricted in scope after recent reforms Family reunification on most permits Each has different income, residency-day, and renewal requirements.
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.	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.	Portugal supports Lda (private limited) and SA (public limited) structures. Tax registration, social security registration, and a Portuguese tax representative are typically required. Substance, accounting, and reporting obligations are real.
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.	Local banking has tightened; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through partners with current relationships.	Personal accounts are accessible to residents and many non-residents; documentation is structured and predictable. Corporate banking depends on company structure and intended activity; Bordercase coordinates with banking partners for introductions.
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 on most routes. Schooling and healthcare are accessible to legal residents.	Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.
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 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 Portuguese cases: AIMA processing delays (formerly SEF) Misalignment between visa type and actual activity Tax residence triggered by accident - NHR window timing matters Past EU Schengen overstays must be disclosed Real estate vs investment routes have changed materially
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	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 document pack for Portuguese residency: Passport NIF (Portuguese tax number) Proof of accommodation (lease, deed, or invitation) Proof of income or assets (varies by route) Criminal record certificate with apostille Health insurance valid in Portugal Marriage / birth certificates for family routes Certified translations where required

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