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Countries

	Saint Lucia Central America & Caribbean	Cyprus Europe	Bulgaria Europe	British Virgin Islands Central America & Caribbean
Overview	Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.	Cyprus is an EU member state with established routes for residency, company setup, and family relocation. Bordercase coordinates with regulated Cypriot lawyers and corporate-services providers for filings and ongoing compliance.	Bulgaria is an EU member state with competitive corporate tax, structured residency routes, and a well-developed digital infrastructure. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bulgarian 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	Second passport English admin Caribbean residency	Founders Holding structures EU access English admin	Founders EU access Cost of living	Holding structures International funds English admin
Currency	XCD	EUR	BGN / EUR transition	USD
Language	English	Greek / English	Bulgarian	English
Time zone	UTC-4	UTC+2	UTC+2	UTC-4
EU member	No	Yes	Yes	No
Schengen	No	No	Yes	No
Residency	Saint Lucia routes: Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment Standard work permits Family routes	Cyprus residency routes: Permanent residency by investment (Cat F / Cat 6.2) Digital Nomad Visa Employment routes (including the international headquartering route) Family reunification The investor citizenship programme is closed.	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.	BVI presence options: Work permits - employer-sponsored Residency for HNW under specific programmes Limited tourist / business visit arrangements
Company setup	Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.	Cyprus Limited companies are widely used by international groups for IP, holding, and trading structures. Substance, local director, and accounting requirements have tightened in recent years and must be planned at setup.	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.	BVI Business Companies (BVI BC) are the standard structure. Economic substance applies to relevant activities; UBO reporting is mandatory.
Banking	Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.	Cypriot banks have strict KYC and source-of-funds processes following past compliance episodes. EMIs are widely used as supplements. Personal and corporate banking introductions go through vetted partners.	Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.	Banking access has tightened materially; EMIs are common supplements. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.
Family	CBI can include qualifying dependents.	Family reunification is available on most routes. English-language schools (public and private) and healthcare options are widely accessible to legal residents.	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.	Family inclusion follows the main route. International schools are limited.
Risks	Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia: Programme parameters change Due diligence has tightened Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented	Common pitfalls in Cyprus cases: Post-reform substance requirements underestimated Banking timelines longer than expected Permanent residency confused with citizenship (different programmes) Some sectors face additional KYC scrutiny	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	Risks Bordercase watches for in the BVI: Economic substance reporting UBO disclosure and beneficial ownership reform Reputational handling around offshore structures
Documents	Typical CBI documents: Passport Due diligence questionnaires Source-of-funds evidence (extensive) Family certificates with apostille and translation	Typical document pack for Cyprus residency: Passport Criminal record certificate (apostilled) Proof of income / investment Health insurance valid in Cyprus Accommodation evidence Education certificates (for relevant routes) Marriage / birth certificates for family routes For company formation: business plan, ownership-chain documents, and KYC for all ultimate beneficial owners.	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.	Typical BVI documents: Passport Source-of-funds evidence KYC for all UBOs Apostilled foreign documents

Saint Lucia

Central America & Caribbean

Cyprus

Europe

Bulgaria

Europe

British Virgin Islands

Central America & Caribbean

Overview

Saint Lucia is a Caribbean jurisdiction with a Citizenship by Investment programme launched in 2016. Bordercase coordinates with authorised local agents.

Cyprus is an EU member state with established routes for residency, company setup, and family relocation. Bordercase coordinates with regulated Cypriot lawyers and corporate-services providers for filings and ongoing compliance.

Bulgaria is an EU member state with competitive corporate tax, structured residency routes, and a well-developed digital infrastructure. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Bulgarian 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

Second passport
English admin
Caribbean residency

Founders
Holding structures
EU access
English admin

Founders
EU access
Cost of living

Holding structures
International funds
English admin

Currency

XCD

EUR

BGN / EUR transition

USD

Language

English

Greek / English

Bulgarian

English

Time zone

UTC-4

UTC+2

UTC-4

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

Saint Lucia routes:

Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment
Standard work permits
Family routes

Cyprus residency routes:

Permanent residency by investment (Cat F / Cat 6.2)
Digital Nomad Visa
Employment routes (including the international headquartering route)
Family reunification

The investor citizenship programme is closed.

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.

BVI presence options:

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

Company setup

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

Cyprus Limited companies are widely used by international groups for IP, holding, and trading structures. Substance, local director, and accounting requirements have tightened in recent years and must be planned at setup.

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.

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

Banking

Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.

Cypriot banks have strict KYC and source-of-funds processes following past compliance episodes. EMIs are widely used as supplements. Personal and corporate banking introductions go through vetted partners.

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

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

Family

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

Family reunification is available on most routes. English-language schools (public and private) and healthcare options are widely accessible to legal residents.

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

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

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in Saint Lucia:

Programme parameters change
Due diligence has tightened
Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented

Common pitfalls in Cyprus cases:

Post-reform substance requirements underestimated
Banking timelines longer than expected
Permanent residency confused with citizenship (different programmes)
Some sectors face additional KYC scrutiny

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in the BVI:

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

Documents

Typical CBI documents:

Passport
Due diligence questionnaires
Source-of-funds evidence (extensive)
Family certificates with apostille and translation

Typical document pack for Cyprus residency:

Passport
Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
Proof of income / investment
Health insurance valid in Cyprus
Accommodation evidence
Education certificates (for relevant routes)
Marriage / birth certificates for family routes

For company formation: business plan, ownership-chain documents, and KYC for all ultimate beneficial owners.

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.

Typical BVI documents:

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