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Countries

	Switzerland Europe	Germany Europe	Argentina Latin America	Chile Latin America
Overview	Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss 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.	Argentina is a major South American economy with structured residency routes and a competitive cost of living for international founders and families. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Argentine 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	HNW Founders Forfait fiscal Stability	Founders Skilled workers EU access Families	Latin America hub Cost of living Founders Families	Latin America hub Stable economy Founders Families
Currency	CHF	EUR	ARS	CLP
Language	German / French / Italian	German	Spanish	Spanish
Time zone	UTC+1	UTC+1	UTC-3	UTC-4
EU member	No	Yes	No	No
Schengen	Yes	Yes	No	No
Residency	Swiss residency routes: Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons Business / investor routes EU / EFTA routes - under FMP Family reunification	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).	Argentine residency routes: Rentista visa - passive income / pension Investor visa - qualifying investment in an Argentine business Worker visa - employer-sponsored Family routes - spouse, children, parents MERCOSUR fast-track for nationals of member states	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	GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.	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.	SA (Sociedad Anónima) and SRL (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada) are the standard structures. CUIT, IGJ registration, and AFIP tax registration follow.	SpA (Sociedad por Acciones), Ltda, and SA are standard structures. SII tax registration, RUT, and patent municipal registration follow.
Banking	Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.	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.	Residency unlocks personal banking. Forex controls and currency volatility are part of the landscape; multi-jurisdiction structuring is common.	Residency unlocks personal banking. Corporate banking depends on activity. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.
Family	Family reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.	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 routes. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are widely available in Buenos Aires.	Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Santiago.
Risks	Risks Bordercase watches for in Switzerland: Quotas for non-EU work permits Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation Banking gatekeeping for non-residents Substance and arm's-length pricing audits	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 Argentina: Currency / forex controls Tax residency triggers Document apostille + Spanish translation requirements	Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile: Tax residency triggers and worldwide-income reporting Processing variations between regions RUT timing for non-residents
Documents	Typical Swiss residency documents: Passport Employment contract or business plan Criminal record certificate Proof of accommodation Health insurance valid in Switzerland Financial evidence Apostilled and translated where required.	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 Argentine documents: Passport Criminal record certificate (apostilled) Marriage / birth certificates for family Proof of income or investment Health insurance	Typical Chilean documents: Passport Apostilled foreign documents (birth, marriage, criminal record) Proof of income or investment Health insurance Spanish translations where required

Europe

Europe

Latin America

Latin America

Overview

Switzerland is a stable, high-quality jurisdiction with structured residency routes - most of them merit-based, contribution-based, or employer-sponsored. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Swiss 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.

Argentina is a major South American economy with structured residency routes and a competitive cost of living for international founders and families. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Argentine 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

HNW
Founders
Forfait fiscal
Stability

Founders
Skilled workers
EU access
Families

Latin America hub
Cost of living
Founders
Families

Latin America hub
Stable economy
Founders
Families

Currency

CHF

EUR

ARS

CLP

Language

German / French / Italian

German

Spanish

Time zone

UTC+1

UTC-3

UTC-4

EU member

Yes

Schengen

Yes

Residency

Swiss residency routes:

Work permit - employer-sponsored, quota-controlled for non-EU
Lump-sum taxation (forfait fiscal) - HNW individuals in eligible cantons
Business / investor routes
EU / EFTA routes - under FMP
Family reunification

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).

Argentine residency routes:

Rentista visa - passive income / pension
Investor visa - qualifying investment in an Argentine business
Worker visa - employer-sponsored
Family routes - spouse, children, parents
MERCOSUR fast-track for nationals of member states

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

GmbH and AG are the standard structures. Cantonal variation in tax, registration, and substance treatment is real. Federal and cantonal compliance is precise.

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.

SA (Sociedad Anónima) and SRL (Sociedad de Responsabilidad Limitada) are the standard structures. CUIT, IGJ registration, and AFIP tax registration follow.

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

Banking

Swiss banking has tightened materially since the 2010s. Personal accounts require residency or strong nexus; corporate banking requires substance and clear source of funds. Bordercase coordinates introductions through current partners.

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.

Residency unlocks personal banking. Forex controls and currency volatility are part of the landscape; multi-jurisdiction structuring is common.

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

Family

Family reunification is supported on most permits. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; international schools are well-established but selective.

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 routes. Schools (public, private, English, German, French) are widely available in Buenos Aires.

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

Risks

Risks Bordercase watches for in Switzerland:

Quotas for non-EU work permits
Lump-sum taxation eligibility and cantonal variation
Banking gatekeeping for non-residents
Substance and arm's-length pricing audits

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 Argentina:

Currency / forex controls
Tax residency triggers
Document apostille + Spanish translation requirements

Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile:

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

Documents

Typical Swiss residency documents:

Passport
Employment contract or business plan
Criminal record certificate
Proof of accommodation
Health insurance valid in Switzerland
Financial evidence

Apostilled and translated where required.

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 Argentine documents:

Passport
Criminal record certificate (apostilled)
Marriage / birth certificates for family
Proof of income or investment
Health insurance

Typical Chilean documents:

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