Compare jurisdictions, side by side.

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

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.

Chilean residency routes:

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

Brazilian residency routes:

• Investor visa (VIPER / VITEM) - qualifying investment in a Brazilian business
• Digital nomad visa - remote workers
• Retirement visa - qualifying pension income
• Family reunification
• Employer-sponsored work permits

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

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.

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

Ltda and SA are the standard structures. CNPJ registration, state registrations, and Receita Federal tax registration follow. The MEI regime suits micro-entrepreneurs.

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.

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

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

Residency unlocks personal and corporate banking. Pix has changed everyday payments; SWIFT for international flows still requires careful KYC.

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

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

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

Family reunification is supported on most routes. International schools (English, German, French, Japanese) are concentrated in São Paulo, Rio, and Brasília.

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 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 Chile:

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

Risks Bordercase watches for in Brazil:

• Tax residency rules and worldwide-income reporting
• Real-estate restrictions in certain border regions
• Document apostille + Portuguese translation

Typical UK documents:

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

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 Chilean documents:

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

Typical Brazilian documents:

• Passport
• Apostilled foreign documents
• Proof of income or investment
• Photographs to specification
• Brazilian consular application abroad for most routes