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

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.

Bulgarian residency routes:

• Employment-based residence
• Business / self-employment routes
• Retirement / pensioner residency
• Family reunification
• EU citizen-derivative routes

Permanent residence typically after 5 years.

Chilean residency routes:

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

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

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.

OOD (LLC) and EOOD (single-shareholder LLC) are common structures. Formation is well-documented. Corporate tax is at a flat rate; VAT registration depends on activity.

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

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.

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.

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Source-of-funds documentation matters for non-standard cases. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions.

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

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

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 (public, private, English, German, French) are concentrated in Sofia, Plovdiv, and Varna.

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

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 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 Bulgaria:

• Tax residency triggers
• VAT classification on cross-border services
• Processing variations between regions
• Euro adoption is in progress - operational planning needed

Risks Bordercase watches for in Chile:

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

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 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 Bulgarian residency documents:

• Passport
• Criminal record certificate
• Proof of address
• Basis for residence (employment, business, etc.)
• Health insurance
• Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Bulgarian.

Typical Chilean documents:

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