Treat corporate restructuring work as a business question first. Immigration-preparation costs are generally not the same thing as capital invested in the enterprise, but the treatment of a given expense depends on the facts and should be reviewed rather than assumed either way. Ask counsel to categorize each item explicitly.
Ask for a scope, not a single number
A useful estimate separates corporate work on the option and share register, immigration preparation, translations, and any dependent applications. Confirm current government charges at the time of each step rather than relying on a figure quoted months earlier. Ask what happens financially if the ownership review shows the structure needs changing before anything is filed. No fee buys an approval, a processing time, or a return on the money invested.
The purchase price held in escrow on visa-conditioned terms, funds already spent on equipment or inventory for the business, and working capital transferred to the business account and committed to operations all count. Reconcile the investment schedule to money actually transferred, contracts signed, equipment acquired, deposits exposed to loss and any properly structured escrow. Use a transaction ledger that labels deposits, purchases, lease obligations, working capital, professional charges, and refundable amounts separately.