Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

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

Common Portuguese residency routes:

• D7 - passive income / pension
• D8 - digital nomad / remote work
• D2 - entrepreneur / self-employed
• D3 - highly qualified workers
• Tech Visa - eligible tech roles via accredited companies
• Golden Visa - restricted in scope after recent reforms
• Family reunification on most permits

Each has different income, residency-day, and renewal requirements.

UK residency routes:

• Skilled Worker visa - employer-sponsored
• Innovator Founder visa - for endorsed founders
• Global Talent visa - for endorsed experts
• Self-Sponsorship via own company (with substance)
• Family routes - spouse / partner / dependents
• Ancestry visa for eligible Commonwealth nationals

Uruguayan residency routes:

• Standard residency - proof of income / qualifying activity
• Investor route
• Retirement / pensioner route
• MERCOSUR fast-track for member-state nationals

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

Portugal supports Lda (private limited) and SA (public limited) structures. Tax registration, social security registration, and a Portuguese tax representative are typically required. Substance, accounting, and reporting obligations are real.

UK Limited companies are widely used internationally. HMRC corporation tax, VAT thresholds, and PSC (people with significant control) reporting apply. Substance expectations have tightened.

SAS and SA are common structures. DGI tax registration and BPS social-security registration follow.

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 accounts are accessible to residents and many non-residents; documentation is structured and predictable. Corporate banking depends on company structure and intended activity; Bordercase coordinates with banking partners for introductions.

Resident banking is mature but onboarding is slow for non-residents. Many international founders use UK EMIs (Revolut, Monzo Business, etc.) alongside high-street accounts. Bordercase coordinates introductions for cross-border cases.

Residency unlocks personal banking. Uruguay has historically been a HNW banking destination in the region; standards have tightened materially.

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 residency routes. Schools (public, private, and international) are widely available; the public system is generally accessible to legal residents.

Family reunification is supported. Schools (state, private, international) are widely available; competition for top schools is real.

Family reunification is supported. Schools (public, private, bilingual, international) are concentrated in Montevideo and Punta del Este.

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 Portuguese cases:

• AIMA processing delays (formerly SEF)
• Misalignment between visa type and actual activity
• Tax residence triggered by accident - NHR window timing matters
• Past EU Schengen overstays must be disclosed
• Real estate vs investment routes have changed materially

Risks Bordercase watches for in the UK:

• Tax residency triggers (Statutory Residence Test)
• Sole-rep / Innovator endorsement standards have tightened
• Brexit-era operational variation between UK and EU services
• Sponsorship Compliance for licensed sponsors

Risks Bordercase watches for in Uruguay:

• Tax residency triggers (the new-resident tax holiday has conditions)
• Banking documentation and source-of-funds rigor
• Apostille + Spanish translation requirements

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 document pack for Portuguese residency:

• Passport
• NIF (Portuguese tax number)
• Proof of accommodation (lease, deed, or invitation)
• Proof of income or assets (varies by route)
• Criminal record certificate with apostille
• Health insurance valid in Portugal
• Marriage / birth certificates for family routes
• Certified translations where required

Typical UK documents:

• Passport
• Certificate of Sponsorship (for sponsored routes)
• TB test (for certain nationalities)
• Maintenance funds evidence
• Apostilled / certified documents for family routes

Typical Uruguayan documents:

• Passport
• Apostilled foreign documents
• Proof of income or investment
• Health insurance
• Spanish translations where required