Unable to file FBAR even though I have Acrobat reader DC

[Harendra5FAE]

I  am trying to file FINCEN report to IRS (FBAR).

I down loaded the recommended version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. Still I cannot open the PDF 

form. Tried many things and am frustrated.

Can somebody help? This has to be filed before April 15, 2021.

Thanks.

H Mehta

[radzmar]

Not sure, what's your problem. I could download the PDF form  FinCEN Report 114a with no problem. What's exactly happening at your end, any error messages etc? 

[Jennifer24185782yafp]

"The website encountered an unexpected error. Please try again later." This is the message I get when I clicked on the link you gave. Been trying for weeks to sort this out.

Sometimes I can access the website, but having the same issue reading the PDF.  Tried the online option as well, but submission doesn´t work. 

Tried contacted BSAfiling customer service. They keep advising to update & configure my Adobe...which I have. 

[Bhavna Negi]

Hi @Harendra5FAE  

What version of Adobe Reader are you using, please let us know? You can check Help  > About Adobe Acrobat Reader

Are you seeing any errors when you try to file the report? If yes, kindly share the screenshot. 

And please share the PDF or the link of the PDF which you are trying to fill.

-Bhavna

[Harendra5FAE]

Thanks.

I am using Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. Freshly downloaded and installed.

The error message says you may not have the correct version. That is not true. I have the correct version.

It also says your viewing environment may not be properly configured. I do not know what that means. I have selected

Acrobat reader as the default app to open .pdf files in Windows 10 setting.

[Bhavna Negi]

The form is an e-forms and will not open/work online. So, you must be sure that you have downloaded the file and that it is not opened in other browsers like Chrome or Firefox, or in any email app.

Please try - Right Click on the downloaded PDF form, and open in Adobe Acrobat Reader.

For the error received at your end, please refer to the link https://helpx.adobe.com/livecycle/kb/xfa-pdf-forms-policy-protected-documents-not-displayed.html for... on how to install Adobe Reader and configure your viewing environment.

-Bhavna

[Bernd Alheit]

Don't open the form in a browser. Open it in Acrobat Reader.

[norat56063244]

Ahh, that explains it. It kept opening up on the browser. Thank you for the tip!

[Sharolyn32047583q8ti]

Awesome! That was it! Thanks so much.

[Tbrosna]

Cannot save the filled-out FBAR form in a way that is accessible by any program or function except Acrobat Reader.

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Version 2001.007.20099, downloaded today from Adobe.

MacOS Monterey, Version 12.1, updated today from Apple.

FBAR form, downloaded today via Firefox properly configured: Preferences->Applications->Portable Document Format (PDF)->Use Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.

I fill out the FBAR form, save it to my computer via Acrobat Reader, and all that ever appears in the saved file version is the dreaded "Please wait... If this message is not eventually replaced by the proper contents of the document, your PDF viewer may not be able to display this type of document."

No other program or facility, including the Finder, sees the actual FBAR, only "Please wait...", even in the Finder thumbnail of the document. So the FBAR is inaccessible and therefore not submittable.

The document has not been saved by Adobe Acrobat Reader in a way that can be used.

I went through this last year, and the year before, and ended up having to fill the form online—a hassle. By this time, I figured, it must be fixed.

The question arises: why does the US government mandate a system that has complicated, exacting, time-consuming requirements, and that does not function as it should even after those requirements have been met (by a longtime computer-literate person. First box: DEC VT-180 Robin, 64k, running CP/M)? And why can't Adobe make a product that is easy to use, and that works as promised?

[bill236262905eh6]

Agree - why are simple things made difficult. Did not have a clue how to open in acrobat in the past simply opened in Firefox - but this time not to be

I had the same problem and after a fair amount of research - on Firefox went to settings - general - applications - scroll down to PDF (2options) and clicked options on the right and changed both to acrobat. That worked can now add additional sheets to submission.

[gypsyangel986]

Agree. Why do the simplest things have to be so hard. After installing and reinstalling the app for an hour or so. I finally held down the Option key when I hit Prepare and the form opened. 

[Jennifer24185782yafp]

Having the exact same problem. Sometimes I cannot even access BSAefiling to begin with - server not found. Try again later. Contacted customer support multiple times, but nothing helps. Even with the automatic extension, I am biting my nails to get this done ASAP.

WHY do they make it so hard? Expats used to be able to easily download the FBAR PDF and send it snailmail to the US Dept of Treasury. 

I have contacted H&R Block and (shocker) they will gladly file it for me for a price. Geez. 

[norat56063244]

Not sure why it would be a shocker since it is a for-profit business, and it's not the IRS or VITA.

[Carl27233983j992]

I received errors when I tried using Google Chrome on an Apple Computer.  I changed to Safari and was able to download the form.  Google Chrome kept trying to open the PDF, which normally opens fine; but not for this site.

[Fiona28943198qok7]

I'm living in Germany and also had problems making a connection in order to submit the form. On a German site people wrote that they were able to submit the form from their phones when they were on 4G rather than their home internet service, and I've just tried doing that and it worked. 

[Franziska29368283epzf]

THANK YOU @Fiona28943198qok7 , I tried filling and submitting the form over 20 times (in various ways) unsuccessfully but with the mobile device on 4G it finally worked. Great advice

[KathaR]

It DOES NOT work on my Android phone! I get a error message that states "This form requires Adobe Acrobat Reader DC for Mac or Windows." However, other PDF files I have on my phone open with no problem with both the Adobe Reader I just installed and the Google Drive PDF Viewer I have had since I got my Motorola g52 phone! When I try to open the FBAR PDF using Google Drive PDF Viewer, I get the other "Please wait..." error message that many others posted in this forum - same on my Desktop PC using Windows 10. 😡