1. The gift chain stops at the donor
Parental gifts are the most common source, but USCIS wants the donor’s funds traced to a lawful origin, not just a gift deed and a wire receipt.
2. The currency path is unclear
How RMB became USD and left the country must be fully documented and lawful. Informal exchanges through friends are a red flag without matching statements on both sides.
3. Property gains without the original paperwork
Sale proceeds are lawful, but you need the original purchase contract, payment proof, and income records from that time to show the purchase money was lawful too.
4. Mixing company and personal accounts
Frequent transfers between business and personal accounts, with no dividend resolutions or tax receipts, make it impossible for the adjudicator to tell whose money it is.
5. Timelines that do not reconcile
Income, taxes, savings, and transfers must line up. The classic problem is declared income far below the growth in bank balances.
Have your attorney run a mock adjudication before filing, and draw every dollar’s path as a single flowchart.