Describe each contribution accurately and have its treatment assessed. Do not relabel the entire business budget as the applicant's personal investment when records show different contributors.
Keep the funding table traceable
For each amount, identify the contributor, source and payment terms. Explain any loan or reimbursement arrangement. The reviewer can then consider the actual structure rather than a misleading combined number.
Use a contribution ledger that never merges the partners’ money. For every payment, identify the contributor, lawful source, route into the enterprise, contractual purpose, refund condition, collateral, and recipient. E-2 investment must be substantial under proportionality, not a fixed dollar minimum, and the applicant’s funds must be irrevocably committed and at risk; money merely promised by a co-owner is not the applicant’s investment. Confirm that investor and enterprise have treaty nationality, including at least 50% treaty-national enterprise ownership, and that the applicant will develop and direct through 50% ownership or operational control. The common mistake is advertising the entire startup budget as one person’s commitment while bank records reveal separate contributors.
Hypothetical example: A London bicycle-repair specialist funds tools, inventory, and a lease deposit for a proposed U.S. shop, while a partner promises working capital after opening. The ledger assigns invoices and transfers to their real payers and flags the promised amount as uncommitted. It also distinguishes professional advice, travel, and other expenses from capital placed in the business. Review then measures the applicant’s committed funds against the actual cost of establishing this repair operation, examines refund terms, and tests control under the partnership agreement.