Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

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.

Italian residency routes:

• Elective Residency Visa - passive income, no employment in Italy
• Self-employment visa (within quota)
• Entrepreneur visa
• Investor visa
• Digital nomad / remote worker - for qualified professionals

Flat-tax regime (Article 24-bis) and impatriate regime may apply.

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.

Cayman Islands residency routes:

• Certificate of Permanent Residence for Persons of Independent Means - qualifying investment
• Residency Certificate (Substantial Business Presence) - operating a qualifying business
• Work permits for employer-sponsored roles
• Family routes

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.

SRL (Limited Liability Company) and SRL Semplificata are the standard structures. Italian tax residency triggers worldwide reporting; the flat-tax regime for new residents (article 24-bis) and the impatriate regime may apply to eligible individuals.

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.

Exempted Companies, LLCs, and partnerships are widely used in fund and holding structures. Economic substance rules apply to relevant activities.

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

Resident banking is straightforward; corporate banking and certain non-standard structures require coordination. Bordercase introduces banking partners where useful.

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

Banking is mature but selective. Source-of-funds documentation is central. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

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. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

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

Family inclusion is supported on most residency routes. International schools are concentrated on Grand Cayman.

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 Italy:

• Tax residency triggers
• Flat-tax regime eligibility and possible revocation
• Regional administrative variation
• Language and bureaucratic friction
• Impatriate regime conditions vary

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 Cayman Islands:

• Economic substance reporting and audit
• Reputational handling around offshore structures
• KYC tightening across the industry

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 Italian residency documents:

• Passport
• Criminal record certificate
• Proof of income (significant for elective residency)
• Health insurance valid in Italy
• Accommodation evidence
• Codice fiscale (tax number)

Apostille and certified Italian translation 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 Cayman documents:

• Passport
• Source-of-funds evidence
• Health and police clearances
• Apostilled foreign documents
• Family certificates for dependents