Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

Romanian residency routes:

• Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card)
• Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers
• Business / investor routes
• Family reunification
• EU citizen-derivative 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.

UK residency routes:

• Skilled Worker visa - employer-sponsored
• Innovator Founder visa - for endorsed founders
• Global Talent visa - for endorsed experts
• Self-Sponsorship via own company (with substance)
• Family routes - spouse / partner / dependents
• Ancestry visa for eligible Commonwealth nationals

SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.

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.

UK Limited companies are widely used internationally. HMRC corporation tax, VAT thresholds, and PSC (people with significant control) reporting apply. Substance expectations have tightened.

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.

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

Resident banking is mature but onboarding is slow for non-residents. Many international founders use UK EMIs (Revolut, Monzo Business, etc.) alongside high-street accounts. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.

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

Family reunification is supported. Schools (state, private, international) are widely available; competition for top schools is real.

Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania:

• Tax residency triggers
• Microcompany regime eligibility
• Processing variations between counties
• Schengen entry / exit rules now apply

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 the UK:

• Tax residency triggers (Statutory Residence Test)
• Sole-rep / Innovator endorsement standards have tightened
• Brexit-era operational variation between UK and EU services
• Sponsorship Compliance for licensed sponsors

Typical Romanian residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to Romanian.

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 UK documents:

• Passport
• Certificate of Sponsorship (for sponsored routes)
• TB test (for certain nationalities)
• Maintenance funds evidence
• Apostilled / certified documents for family routes