There is no statutory minimum. The investment must be substantial relative to the total cost of buying this particular business, so a smaller acquisition needs proportionally less. Government fees and professional costs sit on top of the purchase price.
Substantiality is a ratio, not a number
The test compares what is invested with what the enterprise costs to acquire or establish. Buying a modest management company outright can be substantial, while a token stake in an expensive venture is not, which is why quoted thresholds circulating online are misleading. Anouk should budget beyond the purchase itself.
Due diligence on the target's contracts and accounts is a real expense and the one that decides whether the deal is worth doing. Legal drafting of the ownership and control terms, escrow arrangements, a business plan where non-marginality needs support, and translations all follow. Where an application is made through USCIS rather than at a consular post, filing fees are set out in the USCIS fee schedule, Form G-1055.
Working capital after closing should be planned too, because an enterprise that runs out of money is not an operating one.