Not necessarily. Some qualifying arrangements involve an investment-in-process or escrow structure, so the proposed terms should be reviewed before deciding on the sequence rather than assuming every purchase must be fully closed first.
Coordinate the transaction with the actual process
Identify who has authority to change closing and release conditions, then confirm the applicable consular or status process for the specific applicant, keeping a proposed opening date separate from an anticipated government decision. Any change to ownership, funding, or operations should be reassessed rather than made irreversible just to fit a generic timeline. E-2 is a nonimmigrant classification and does not itself provide a direct path to permanent residence.
Order the transaction so that the evidence of commitment, ownership, and operating readiness is consistent on the application date. Trace the funds first, complete documents that place them under real commercial risk, then assemble the business evidence and travel plan. Hypothetical example: a fire-suppression inspection firm signs a lease that begins after its only customer contract expires. The lease is not enough by itself; the applicant should show how the enterprise will operate, who authorizes services, and why future revenue assumptions are supportable. Do not describe a refundable reservation as fully committed capital. Recheck ownership and treaty-nationality facts before submitting and after any investor changes. E-2 requires the investor to develop and direct a substantial, non-marginal enterprise with funds committed beyond recall and exposed to business loss. It is a temporary status, so a later residence strategy must be considered independently.