Receipts and agreements for the lease, software, federal broker bond and insurance; U.S. bank statements showing the operating account funded; and a trace from the Canadian source to each payment. Escrow instructions tied to the visa decision count as commitment.
Show payments made, not funds available
Hypothetical example: the applicant's file shows a large balance in a Canadian account and a business plan, and nothing spent. That is intent, not investment. The revised file should contain the signed U.S. office lease and deposit receipt, the software agreement and first payments, the federal motor-carrier broker registration and the surety bond with its premium paid, the insurance binder, the U.S. bank account opened in the company's name with the operating capital transferred, and the state formation documents showing the applicant as sole owner. For the carrier-payment float, which cannot be spent before trading begins, an escrow or a transfer into the U.S. operating account with a statement of purpose demonstrates commitment. Then the path: Canadian statements showing the source, the transfers, and the U.S. statements showing receipt. If any funds are borrowed, the loan agreement must show personal security, not the brokerage's assets. Present it with an index so the officer can follow the money in minutes.
Hypothetical example: a pipe-organ restoration business has transferred savings into its U.S. account but has not connected the money to enforceable workshop, tooling, or insurance obligations. Bank statements alone show capacity, not a committed investment. The file should pair each payment with a contract, receipt, and source-of-funds record, then explain how the workshop will operate and hire beyond the household. The capital must be irrevocably committed and at risk, and the proposed enterprise cannot be marginal. A concise funds-flow chart lets the officer test those points without guessing.