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Bordercase

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Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

Pick up to 4 countries and see residency, company, banking, family, and risk notes line up. No prices, no marketing packages - just the working notes.

 CH flagSwitzerland

Europe

MT flagMalta

Europe

IT flagItaly

Europe

OverviewSwitzerland 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.Malta is an EU member state with established residency, company, and family relocation routes. English is widely spoken and regulatory processes are well documented. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Maltese partners for filings.Italy offers EU residency routes for self-employed, entrepreneurs, retirees, and recently a digital nomad / remote worker route. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Italian partners for filings and tax planning.
Best for
  • HNW
  • Founders
  • Forfait fiscal
  • Stability
  • Founders
  • Holding structures
  • EU access
  • English admin
  • Families
  • Remote workers
  • EU access
  • Long-term residency
CurrencyCHFEUREUR
LanguageGerman / French / ItalianEnglish / MalteseItalian
Time zoneUTC+1UTC+1UTC+1
EU memberNoYesYes
SchengenYesYesYes
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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Family reunification is supported. Public and private schools are widely available; international schools are concentrated in major cities.

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 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 Italy:

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

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 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.

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