Provide a clear valuation basis and the records relevant to the actual assets. An unsupported estimate or catalogue price may not describe their current condition or value.
Connect the valuation to identifiable property
List serial numbers or other identifiers, purchase records, age, condition and any independent assessment obtained. Explain liens, leases and ownership restrictions separately from price. Retain the proposed transfer terms. A valuation establishes an estimate of worth; it does not by itself prove the applicant’s right to invest the asset or that it is committed at risk.
E-2 requires treaty nationality, a real enterprise, substantial capital committed irrevocably and exposed to commercial loss, and an operation that is not marginal. The investor must be able to develop and direct the enterprise. A first review should trace every proposed dollar or asset from lawful source to the enterprise, identify any lender, and mark whether the obligation is already binding. Start with ownership and bank records, then contracts, escrow terms, invoices, and the operating plan. Separate value from commitment and commitment from business viability. Applications weaken when an estimate is offered as payment evidence or when funds remain freely withdrawable at the decision point. Hypothetical example: A mobile-bakery owner supplies a catalogue appraisal for a converted delivery vehicle. The purchase invoice, lien release, condition evidence, and signed enterprise agreement provide the record needed to assess value and commitment. The practical next step is to preserve the underlying record, identify any conflict in writing, and decide the sequence from the facts rather than from a preferred outcome.