Clarify the actual scope of each engagement. Equity documentation and immigration analysis address different requirements, though they share relevant facts. Do not assume counsel negotiating compensation represents the applicant for immigration or that the same quotation covers the procedure.
Identify the work that remains
List review of the duties, credentials, ownership terms and current government charges separately. Ask who will supply records and pay agreed expenses. An equity package’s stated value is compensation context, not a payment of immigration fees or an assurance of eligibility.
Separate government charges, translation or credential costs, legal review, travel, and employer-side expenses in a written budget. The first review should identify who pays each item and whether a cost is a filing charge, a business expense, or compensation. Do not count a proposed equity award as money paid toward immigration processing, and do not assume an employer's reimbursement changes the substantive eligibility analysis. If a credential evaluation, licence, or updated corporate document is needed, its timing may matter more than its price. Keep invoices and instructions with the application record so the household can distinguish a paid amount from an estimate.
Hypothetical example: an industrial hygienist is promised a retention bonus and reimbursement for credential translation. The budget should list the translation charge separately from compensation, because neither figure proves the professional role qualifies.