Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

Panama residency routes:

• Friendly Nations Visa - now requires economic tie (employment, real estate, or investment)
• Qualified Investor Visa - qualifying investment thresholds
• Pensionado / Retiree Visa - qualifying pension income
• Family routes

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.

Chilean residency routes:

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

Bulgarian residency routes:

• Employment-based residence
• Business / self-employment routes
• Retirement / pensioner residency
• Family reunification
• EU citizen-derivative routes

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

Panamanian corporations (SA) and Private Interest Foundations are widely used. Beneficial ownership reporting, CRS / FATCA compliance, and substance discussions have become material; planning must reflect current standards.

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.

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

OOD (LLC) and EOOD (single-shareholder LLC) are common structures. Formation is well-documented. Corporate tax is at a flat rate; VAT registration depends on activity.

Panamanian banking has tightened KYC and source-of-funds requirements. Non-resident applications take time; Bordercase coordinates introductions through current banking partners.

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

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

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

Family reunification is supported on most residency routes. International schools (English-language and Spanish) are available in Panama City.

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

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

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.

Risks Bordercase watches for in Panama:

• Reputational / de-banking risks for poorly structured offshore-only setups
• Tax residency analysis for clients with other obligations (CRS / FATCA)
• Processing delays at Migration
• UBO reporting is now active

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 Chile:

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in Bulgaria:

• Tax residency triggers
• VAT classification on cross-border services
• Processing variations between regions
• Euro adoption is in progress - operational planning needed

Typical Panama documents:

• Passport
• Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
• Proof of economic tie (employment letter, property deed, or investment evidence)
• Proof of address
• Marriage / birth certificates for family

All documents apostilled and translated where required.

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 Chilean documents:

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

Typical Bulgarian residency documents:

• Passport
• Criminal record certificate
• Proof of address
• Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.)
• Health insurance
• Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Bulgarian.