The whole chain: how the business was acquired or founded, its financial history, the sale agreement, the closing statement, tax filings recording the transaction, and the movement of proceeds through identifiable accounts. Any serious route examines large sums, so this record is worth building regardless of which one is chosen.
Start the record before the money arrives
A sale is one of the rare moments when a complete financial record is easy to assemble, because the parties, lawyers and accountants are all engaged and the documents are current. Six months later the same reconstruction is noticeably harder. Ask the transaction lawyer to keep a full closing set, retain the tax filings that record the disposition, and route the proceeds through accounts that can be identified rather than distributing them across several institutions.
Where the business itself was acquired years ago, the older documents supporting that acquisition are part of the chain too. The precise expectations of any particular program should be confirmed officially and reviewed with a licensed adviser. Hypothetical example: Carlotta is liquidating a gemstone-wholesale business and expects to apply as soon as proceeds arrive.
Gather the dated official program page first, application receipts, identity and civil records, sale agreement, tax returns, bank statements and correspondence directing any payment. The official instructions settle what the program currently requests; the transaction records settle the provenance and transfer trail for funds. Preserve originals and a clear chronology before accounts close or intermediaries archive files.
The mistake is relying on a consultant’s screenshot or a single closing statement. A complete file should also show eligibility for the immigrant classification selected through the program and any family members included in the initial request.