E-2 Visa Source of Funds: Proving Lawful Investment Capital

E-2 eligibility depends not only on investing substantial capital, but also proving where the money came from and how it reached the U.S. business.

Source of funds vs. path of funds

US officers often evaluate:

• Lawful origin of money (salary, sale of assets, inheritance, dividends, etc.).
• Transaction trail from original account to final business use.

Documents that strengthen the case

• Tax returns and payroll records.
• Property sale contracts and closing documents.
• Bank statements showing transfers step by step.
• Corporate records tying funds to the enterprise.

Common weaknesses

• Unexplained cash deposits.
• Missing transfer records.
• Inconsistent timelines across affidavits and financial documents.

Filing approach

Create a transaction map before submitting. A clean and logical funds narrative reduces requests for clarification and supports credibility.