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	Montenegro Europe	Croatia Europe	Slovakia Europe	Spain Europe
Overview	Montenegro is a non-EU European country with structured residency routes, EU candidate status, and a growing role as a base for founders and remote workers in the region. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Montenegrin partners.	Croatia is a Schengen-member EU country with structured residency routes for skilled workers, digital nomads, and family relocation. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Croatian 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.	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	Cost of living Coastal living Regional residency	Digital nomads Families EU access Coastal living	Founders EU access Cost of living	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living
Currency	EUR	EUR	EUR	EUR
Language	Montenegrin / Serbian	Croatian	Slovak	Spanish
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC+1
EU member	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Schengen	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Residency	Montenegrin residency routes: Temporary residence via employment Business / self-employment Real-estate ownership Family reunification Permanent residence typically after 5 years.	Croatian residency routes: Employment-based residence Digital Nomad Residence Permit - remote workers Business / self-employment Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	Slovak residency routes: Employment-based residence Start-up visa - innovative businesses Business / self-employment Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	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	DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented and reasonably fast. Tax and VAT registration follow.	d.o.o. (limited liability) is the standard structure; jednostavno d.o.o. is a simplified low-capital variant. Formation involves notary and court registration. Tax and VAT registration follow.	S.R.O. (private limited) is the standard entity, with relatively low minimum capital and well-established formation processes. VAT registration depends on activity.	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	Personal banking for residents is accessible. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions where useful.	Resident banking is broadly accessible; corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking varies by activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Personal banking for residents is straightforward; corporate banking depends on activity and structure. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cases.
Family	Family inclusion on residency applications is supported. International schools are available in Podgorica and on the coast.	Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Zagreb and along the coast.	Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Bratislava.	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 Montenegro: Tax residency triggers EU accession dynamics may change rules over time Processing variations between municipalities Schengen entry / exit considerations for travel planning	Risks Bordercase watches for in Croatia: Tax residency triggers Processing variations Digital nomad permit renewal rules and re-entry constraints	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 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	Typical Montenegrin residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Basis for residence Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated.	Typical Croatian residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Health insurance Employment / income evidence Family certificates Apostilled and translated to Croatian.	Typical Slovak residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Health insurance Employment or business documentation Family certificates with apostille and translation	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

Europe

Europe

Europe

Europe

Overview

Montenegro is a non-EU European country with structured residency routes, EU candidate status, and a growing role as a base for founders and remote workers in the region. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Montenegrin partners.

Croatia is a Schengen-member EU country with structured residency routes for skilled workers, digital nomads, and family relocation. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Croatian 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.

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

Cost of living
Coastal living
Regional residency

Digital nomads
Families
EU access
Coastal living

Founders
EU access
Cost of living

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

Currency

EUR

Language

Montenegrin / Serbian

Croatian

Slovak

Spanish

Time zone

UTC+1

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

Montenegrin residency routes:

Temporary residence via employment
Business / self-employment
Real-estate ownership
Family reunification

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

Croatian residency routes:

Employment-based residence
Digital Nomad Residence Permit - remote workers
Business / self-employment
Family reunification
EU citizen-derivative routes

Slovak residency routes:

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

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

DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented and reasonably fast. Tax and VAT registration follow.

d.o.o. (limited liability) is the standard structure; jednostavno d.o.o. is a simplified low-capital variant. Formation involves notary and court registration. Tax and VAT registration follow.

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

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

Personal banking for residents is accessible. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions where useful.

Resident banking is broadly accessible; corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

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

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

Family

Family inclusion on residency applications is supported. International schools are available in Podgorica and on the coast.

Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Zagreb and along the coast.

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

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 Montenegro:

Tax residency triggers
EU accession dynamics may change rules over time
Processing variations between municipalities
Schengen entry / exit considerations for travel planning

Risks Bordercase watches for in Croatia:

Tax residency triggers
Processing variations
Digital nomad permit renewal rules and re-entry constraints

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 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

Typical Montenegrin residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated.

Typical Croatian residency documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate
Proof of accommodation
Health insurance
Employment / income evidence
Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Croatian.

Typical Slovak residency documents:

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

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