Show the sale proceeds, the co-investment structure, and business operating costs apart from government fees, professional fees, and travel.
Do not label every dollar from the sale as qualifying capital
Confirm which costs the current business proposal actually includes and which are unrelated. Keep independent commercial due diligence as its own line item.
Divide the budget into qualifying investment commitments, ordinary operating reserves, transaction expenses, immigration preparation, and family costs. Match each claimed investment dollar to an enforceable purchase, lease, escrow, inventory, or setup obligation, then review refund conditions. E-2 uses proportionality: a substantial investment has no fixed minimum, and the correct amount depends on the enterprise’s actual cost. Commitment must be irrevocable, and the capital must be at risk; proceeds kept in a personal account are insufficient. The common error is labeling professional fees, travel, untouched reserves, and the seller’s entire asking price as if all were the applicant’s committed capital.
Hypothetical example: A LaSalle specialty-coffee roaster plans to purchase American roasting equipment, rent production space, and retain cash for beans and payroll. The applicant should maintain an itemized table linking contracts and payments to the startup plan, while keeping unrelated family travel and advisory charges outside the investment total. Nationality and governance records must show a treaty-national enterprise with at least 50% qualifying ownership and the applicant’s capacity to develop and direct it. Supported projections should also address non-marginality; spending alone cannot prove a real, active business with more than minimal-living capacity or significant economic impact.