The marina purchase agreement and escrow instructions, the Canadian sale documents and tax filing showing the proceeds, bank statements tracing the money to escrow, the marina's financial statements and payroll, evidence of the buyers' Canadian citizenship, a business plan with staffing projections, and the ownership documents of the acquiring entity.
Three folders: source and path, the business, and control
Organize the file the way a consular officer reads it. First, money: the sale agreement for the Canadian yard, the closing statement, the tax return reporting the sale, the account the proceeds entered, and every statement from that account through to the escrow deposit, with a one-page chronology tying them together. Second, the enterprise: the marina's last three years of financial statements and tax returns, payroll summaries showing seasonal and year-round employees, the slip and storage rental rolls, licences and permits, and the purchase agreement with escrow terms conditioned on the visa. Third, control and nationality: passports, the formation documents of the entity that will hold the marina, its ownership ledger, and an organizational chart showing which spouse directs operations. Add a five-year business plan describing planned hiring. Each folder should answer one requirement without the officer having to hunt.
Hypothetical example: A Canadian independent-bookstore owner plans to buy a U.S. shop. The first review produces a source-and-path ledger from the original savings or sale proceeds through each account, wire and business expense. The purchase agreement, escrow terms, bank statements, entity records, lease and business plan should tell the same story. The record that settles commitment is the contract and payment trail, not an intention letter. A common failure is mixing personal and company accounts without an explanation, which makes it hard to identify the applicant’s investment and whether it is genuinely exposed to loss.