No universal minimum controls every E-2 case. The amount is assessed against that business’s actual acquisition or launch expense.
Measure the deal, not a rumour
A low-cost business and a capital-intensive business cannot be assessed with the same casual benchmark. Hypothetical example: A buyer purchases an established digital-services company whose essential assets are contracts, software, and staff, not machinery. The amount already committed must be measured against the actual cost and the business plan, while the enterprise still needs to be real and non-marginal.
Separate purchase funds from personal reserves, immigration expenses, and uncommitted savings. Government fees, due diligence, translation, travel, and professional services should each have their own budget line. Do not assume a larger amount cures a weak source-of-funds record or an incomplete operating plan.
Conversely, do not reject a viable enterprise merely because it is not a franchise with a familiar price. Use current factual evidence and obtain the relevant consular guidance before setting expectations. Use a written assumptions list with a date beside every estimate.
Confirm official charges shortly before payment and ask providers what their scope excludes. Do not treat money already spent on a commercial plan as proof that an immigration category fits. A reserve for changed facts is prudent, but it should never be described as a way to purchase approval.
For this e2 review, keep that conclusion tied to the documents actually available. Confirm the current procedure before relying on an earlier file or informal description.