Only describe the actual commitments and payments. A higher quotation does not itself establish more qualifying capital.
Distinguish funding needs from completed investment
Review the current plan and lawful funding path. No universal E-2 minimum makes it appropriate to inflate the investment total with unaccepted quotes.
Money irrevocably committed to acquiring or operating the enterprise counts: purchase price, equipment, inventory, lease deposits and working capital placed in the business. Separate the ledger into three columns before you total anything: money already spent, money irrevocably committed under agreements you cannot walk away from, and money you merely intend to spend. The substantiality test asks whether the amount invested is substantial in relation to the total cost of purchasing or creating the enterprise, and whether it is large enough to show the investor's financial commitment and likelihood of success. The total plan may include purchase price, leasehold improvements, inventory, equipment, professional services, insurance, licensing, application charges, and family travel. Ask any adviser for an itemized scope covering valuation review, transfer documentation, the enterprise plan and dependent assistance, and ask what happens if a review finds the committed capital too thin. Beyond the immigration budget sits a commercial one that is easy to overlook: if the business must remain more than marginal, it may need investment to grow, and a relocation that costs customers may require capital to replace them.