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	Slovakia Europe	Germany Europe	Spain Europe	Chile Latin America
Overview	Slovakia offers EU residency and corporate structures with a stable regulatory environment and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Slovak partners for filings.	Germany is the largest EU economy and a strong destination for skilled professionals, founders, and remote workers (under specific routes). Bordercase coordinates with licensed German 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.	Chile is a stable Latin American economy with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and growing relevance for international founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Chilean partners for filings.
Best for	Founders EU access Cost of living	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Families Remote workers EU access Cost of living	Latin America hub Stable economy Founders Families
Currency	EUR	EUR	EUR	CLP
Language	Slovak	German	Spanish	Spanish
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC-4
EU member	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Schengen	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Residency	Slovak residency routes: Employment-based residence Start-up visa - innovative businesses Business / self-employment Family reunification EU citizen-derivative routes	German residency routes: Blue Card - high-skilled employees Freiberufler / Selbständig - freelancer / self-employed Employer-sponsored work permits Entrepreneur visa Family reunification Permanent residence typically after 5 years (faster on Blue Card).	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.	Chilean residency routes: Temporary residence - employment, retirement, or qualifying activity Investor / entrepreneur routes Family reunification Permanent residence typically after a qualifying temporary period
Company setup	S.R.O. (private limited) is the standard entity, with relatively low minimum capital and well-established formation processes. VAT registration depends on activity.	GmbH and UG (haftungsbeschränkt) are common structures. Notary involvement is required for formation. Tax registration, trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung), and German GAAP / tax accounting standards apply.	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.	SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.
Banking	Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking varies by activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.	Personal banking for residents is well established; certain non-resident structures take longer. SCHUFA history is relevant for residents. 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.	Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.
Family	Family reunification is supported. International schools are available in Bratislava.	Family reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.	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.	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.
Risks	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 Germany: Tax residency triggers (183 days + centre of interests) Late VAT registration on cross-border services Language and bureaucratic friction in some Länder Freiberufler vs Gewerbe classification disputes	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	Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile: Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting Processing variations between regions RUT timing for non-residents
Documents	Typical Slovak residency documents: Passport Criminal record certificate Proof of address Health insurance Employment or business documentation Family certificates with apostille and translation	Typical German residency documents: Passport Recognised qualifications (where required) Contract or business plan Accommodation evidence (Anmeldung) Health insurance Family certificates Apostilled and translated to German.	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	Typical Chilean documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or investment Health insurance Spanish translations where required

Country pages stay the authoritative source. This view is a side-by-side; nothing here promises a particular outcome.

Countries

Europe

Europe

Europe

Latin America

Overview

Slovakia offers EU residency and corporate structures with a stable regulatory environment and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Slovak partners for filings.

Germany is the largest EU economy and a strong destination for skilled professionals, founders, and remote workers (under specific routes). Bordercase coordinates with licensed German 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.

Chile is a stable Latin American economy with structured residency routes, strong civil infrastructure, and growing relevance for international founders. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Chilean partners for filings.

Best for

Founders
EU access
Cost of living

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Families
Remote workers
EU access
Cost of living

Latin America hub
Stable economy
Founders
Families

Currency

EUR

CLP

Language

Slovak

German

Spanish

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-4

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

Slovak residency routes:

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

German residency routes:

Blue Card - high-skilled employees
Freiberufler / Selbständig - freelancer / self-employed
Employer-sponsored work permits
Entrepreneur visa
Family reunification

Permanent residence typically after 5 years (faster on Blue Card).

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.

Chilean residency routes:

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

Company setup

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

GmbH and UG (haftungsbeschränkt) are common structures. Notary involvement is required for formation. Tax registration, trade registration (Gewerbeanmeldung), and German GAAP / tax accounting standards apply.

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.

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

Banking

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

Personal banking for residents is well established; certain non-resident structures take longer. SCHUFA history is relevant for residents. 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.

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

Family

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

Family reunification is well supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, and international) are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

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.

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

Risks

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 Germany:

Tax residency triggers (183 days + centre of interests)
Late VAT registration on cross-border services
Language and bureaucratic friction in some Länder
Freiberufler vs Gewerbe classification disputes

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile:

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

Documents

Typical Slovak residency documents:

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

Typical German residency documents:

Passport
Recognised qualifications (where required)
Contract or business plan
Accommodation evidence (Anmeldung)
Health insurance
Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to German.

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

Typical Chilean documents:

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