Have the actual agreement and consequences reviewed before relying on its immigration assumptions. The right commercial decision depends on the genuine terms and separate advice.
Identify irreversible obligations
Record deadlines, conditions and funding commitments. Immigration approval is not guaranteed by signing, and a contract should not be described as conditional if the executed terms say otherwise.
Settle ownership and control first, then sign a purchase agreement with escrow tied to approval, then document the source of funds and the business plan, and apply. A seller's preferred speed does not determine the buyer's immigration or diligence sequence. Ask whether this franchisor will accept an escrow that releases the territory fee on visa issuance and returns it on refusal, or will make the agreement's effective date conditional on the visa. Funds held in escrow that release only on visa issuance are a recognized way to commit money while protecting the buyer if the application fails; have the escrow terms drafted with that in mind. Processing times and approvals cannot be guaranteed, so avoid resignations, relocations or non-refundable commitments that assume a decision by a chosen day. Build the schedule from milestones you control: written confirmation, amended agreement, committed capital, then a reviewed application package.