Some may, some may not. Facility deposits, prepaid production time, equipment and inventory are business expenditures and can be examined as part of the invested capital, subject to whether they are truly committed and at risk. Immigration preparation costs are a different category. Refundable or escrowed amounts need fact-specific review, not a blanket rule.
Separate business spending from case-preparation spending
Ask counsel to review each line: what the contract says about refunds, revocation, and conditions on release of funds, and whether the money has actually left your control. Borrowed capital is not excluded outright, but collateral matters — funds secured by the enterprise's own assets are treated differently from a loan secured by personal assets you would lose. Confirm current government fees at the time of each step rather than relying on a figure quoted earlier.
Enough to show substantial, irrevocable commitment relative to the total start-up budget, ideally most of it, plus the consular visa fee, any reciprocity fee, and professional and translation costs outside the investment. 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.