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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.

 GB flagUnited Kingdom

Europe

RS flagSerbia

Europe

RO flagRomania

Europe

OverviewThe United Kingdom is a major global jurisdiction with structured (and competitive) residency, business, and skilled-worker routes. Bordercase coordinates with licensed UK partners for filings.Serbia is an attractive non-EU European jurisdiction for founders, IT professionals, and remote workers - with accessible residency and competitive costs. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Serbian partners for filings.Romania is an EU member state with structured residency routes, accessible company formation, and competitive costs for founders and remote professionals. Bordercase coordinates with licensed Romanian partners.
Best for
  • Founders
  • Skilled workers
  • Global hub
  • Banking
  • English admin
  • Founders
  • IT professionals
  • Cost of living
  • Regional hub
  • Founders
  • Digital nomads
  • EU access
  • Cost of living
CurrencyGBPRSDRON
LanguageEnglishSerbianRomanian
Time zoneUTC+0UTC+1UTC+2
EU memberNoNoYes
SchengenNoNoYes
Residency

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

Serbian residency routes:

  • Temporary residence via employment
  • Self-employment / business
  • Real-estate ownership
  • Family reunification
  • IT-focused residency framework

Permanent residence typically after 3 years of continuous temporary residence.

Romanian residency routes:

  • Employment-based residence (including the Blue Card)
  • Digital Nomad Visa - remote workers
  • Business / investor routes
  • Family reunification
  • EU citizen-derivative routes
Company setup

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

DOO (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation is well-documented, with online steps available. Tax registration (PIB) and APR (Business Registers Agency) registration follow.

SRL (limited liability) is the standard structure. Formation involves notary and trade registry. Microcompany tax regime may apply for small businesses with eligible activities.

Banking

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

Personal and corporate banking for residents is broadly accessible. Bordercase coordinates introductions for non-standard cross-border structures.

Family

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

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, Russian) are available in Belgrade.

Family reunification is supported. International schools (English, French, German) are concentrated in Bucharest, Cluj, and Timișoara.

Risks

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 Serbia:

  • Tax residency triggers
  • VAT registration timing
  • Processing variations between MUP offices
  • EU Schengen access requires planning for cross-border travel

Risks Bordercase watches for in Romania:

  • Tax residency triggers
  • Microcompany regime eligibility
  • Processing variations between counties
  • Schengen entry / exit rules now apply
Documents

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 Serbian residency documents:

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

Apostilled and translated to Serbian.

Typical Romanian residency documents:

  • Passport
  • Criminal record certificate
  • Proof of address
  • Basis for residence
  • Health insurance
  • Family certificates

Apostilled and translated to Romanian.

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