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

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.

Saint Lucia routes:

• Citizenship by Investment (CBI) via fund contribution or approved real-estate investment
• Standard work permits
• Family routes

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

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.

Domestic companies and IBCs are common in international structures.

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.

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.

Banking is selective. Bordercase coordinates banking introductions through current partners.

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

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.

CBI can include qualifying dependents.

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 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 Saint Lucia:

• Programme parameters change
• Due diligence has tightened
• Reputational and revocation risks if information is misrepresented

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 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 CBI documents:

• Passport
• Due diligence questionnaires
• Source-of-funds evidence (extensive)
• Family certificates with apostille and translation