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SAINT-PHILIPPE · E-2 FIELD GUIDE

Do I have to wait for a run of clean months before filing?

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THE DIRECT ANSWER

There is no fixed waiting period and no universal requirement to show first sales. What matters is whether the evidence, as it stands, demonstrates substantial capital committed and at risk in a real operating enterprise. A short reserve period is an example some plans adopt, not a legal rule to satisfy.

Let the evidence, not the calendar, set the date

Decide by reviewing what a reader would actually see: labelled deposits, matched invoices, a source-and-path narrative, and a credible non-marginality showing based on present or projected capacity. If two of those remain unfinished, one more reconciled month may help more than filing early. Keep departure planning honest as well: temporary intent to leave when status ends is relevant, and visa validity differs from the authorized stay.

Explain what funds are actually available and lawfully committed and whether the business plan changes. Canadian citizens generally need an E visa, and a visa's validity period is not the same as the period of stay recorded on the I-94. The practical sequence is to resolve ownership and funding terms first, commit eligible capital under genuine documents, and then connect the spending to a functioning enterprise.