Read the general investor planning overview
A price agreed for a business does not describe the money the business will have to operate with. Existing liabilities, assumed obligations and loan repayments draw on the same funds as wages and inventory. Before committing, separate the purchase price, the amounts that will service debt, and the working capital the enterprise would actually hold, and ask which of those the review would treat as invested and at risk.
Get the schedule of obligations before the number is fixed
Ask the seller for aged payables, lease and equipment finance terms, tax arrears, employee entitlements and any personal guarantee. Note which obligations transfer with the business and which stay with the seller, because a share purchase and an asset purchase answer that differently. Hypothetical example: a buyer settles on a price and later finds a supplier balance and an equipment loan that would be repaid out of the first months' takings, leaving little for stock and wages. Record where each figure came from and its date, so the discussion rests on the accounts rather than on a headline price.
Distinguish the kinds of money in the file
E-2 assesses substantial investment in relation to the enterprise and whether capital is committed and at risk; there is no universal minimum amount. For any borrowing, document the borrower, liability, security and repayment conditions for review. Separate debt-service reserves, purchase payments and operating expenditures so the reviewer can assess each on its actual terms. Do not assign a legal treatment solely from an accounting label. Mark funds still conditional on a lender or seller decision and show how their absence would change the operating budget.
Explain what the enterprise will do with what remains
Prepare an operating account naming customers, staffing, how the work is delivered, and the applicant's part in developing and directing the enterprise; control is fact-specific and can exist without a majority interest, so document the actual governance rather than the percentage alone. The business must also meet the non-marginality requirement, which is a question about the enterprise, not about the buyer's intentions. Keep forecasts supported and uncertainties visible. Bring open questions: which liabilities could be settled before closing, what changes if revenue arrives later than planned, and who is advising on the commercial risk, which an immigration review does not assess.
What else is on your mind?
Is there one minimum investment that guarantees E-2 eligibility?Is holding money or owning an asset enough for E-2?Editorial source review: 2026-09-07. General preparation guidance, not an individual assessment.