Please Wait... other applications (NFFBAR) cannot read file

[rarthurr]

The IRS  NFFBAR BSA E-Filing System cannot read the saved PDF -file The file selected is not a valid Individual FBAR (pdf) file.

The Please Wait... If this message is not ... still appears in the saved file.

I am running  Acrobat Reader DC  2018.009.20050 ( a version greater than the one I try to download) on iMac  High Sierra with Safari. 

I have seen this issue in the forum discussions, but could not find relevant fixes.

[Test Screen Name]

This is a common message and usually means you are trying to view in a browser.

[rarthurr]

Of course the file is being accessed (as an attachment)  by an application running in the browser Safari.  The application is not really trying to view it but rather to determine if it is a legitimate PDF file.

The government website BSA E-Filing System has for several years now been able to read the attached PDF file that has been signed and saved with Adobe Reader.  Now suddenly under either a new Adobe or a new macOS or a new Safari  or a combination of these three it no longer works.

[rarthurr]

Sorry !!!

As I should have done earlier I went to the website where they announce that older forms are no longer accepted.

I haven't tried out their new forms yet, but consider this thread as closed.

If it still doesn't work then their website has the problem.

Thank you anyway.

[dirkv6266753]

I have the same problem! The file is not accepted. As you, I found the note that the old files are now longer accepted, so I downloaded a new file (which has the same version number, but a newer creation date), transferred all the information and STILL the upload doesn't work. Does anyone else have this problem?

PS: You can export the entries into a XML file and then load it into the new file. It did require some manual adjustments, but still saved a lot of time. But could this approach have been the problem?

This is the error message:

To file an individual FBAR, complete the following fields, attach a signed FBAR, and click Submit. Your E-mail Address, Name and Phone Number are necessary to ensure you receive an email confirmation after submission and also is used by our help desk for any assistance you may need. The BSA E-Filing Help Desk can be reached at 1-866-346-9478 or via email at BSAEFilingHelp@fincen.gov.

Please correct the errors before resubmitting the form:
The file selected is not a valid Individual FBAR (pdf) file. The upload page can only accept the electronic FBAR report. It will not accept any scanned images, including the previous TD F 90-22.1 report or the 114a Record of Authorization to Electronically File FBARs.Per the instructions, the 114a Record of Authorization to Electronically File FBARs does NOT need to be uploaded to FinCEN.

And this is the note, that old files are no longer accepted:

THIS PAGE IS FOR INDIVIDUAL FBAR FILERS ONLY

*** Important Notice *** - Effective January 8th, 2018, previously saved versions of the FBAR report (downloaded prior to December 8th, 2017) will no longer be accepted.

[rarthurr]

I too downloaded the newest FBAR version, reentered all the data and submitted it.  It worked the first time.  Everything is now ok.

[johnnyphotonic]

Just to confirm the mention above that the Edit > Form Options > Export Data...    > Import Data... worked a treat - no re-typing. Just tune up last year's numbers, job done!

Update: Defeat, snatched from the jaws of Victory. I was able to crab the data from last year, make updates and save in the new PDF form.

Unfortunately, the FinCEN site still wouldn't take the new forms when filled in using this method. Back to manual cut 'n paste, which just takes time.

[AnandSri · Accepted solution]

Hello rarthurr

Sorry for the delayed response and inconvenience caused, if you are trying to open the PDF file in a browser, please refer to the following KB doc and try the suggestion PDF won’t display. Please wait … Link: https://forums.adobe.com/docs/DOC-8651

Let us know how it goes.

Regards,

Anand Sri.

[rarthurr]

Thank you for the information, interesting to read about the possibilities.

In my case the issue was solved by downloading the newest NFFBAR form, something I should have done before asking the question.

[LisbonKen]

To summarize: 1) Download a fresh copy of the FBAR form; 2) Cut and paste info from old form into new form (or re-key everything); 3) Sign and submit. Works like a charm.

Don't bother trying to Export/Import data from old form to new using the Acrobat Form Options menu, as that will corrupt the new form and you'll have to start over. Either re-key everything or cut and paste.

Don't waste your time trying to use your 2016 FBAR as a template for 2017. Although it looks like the same form, it's not and will not be accepted no matter how hard you try.

[ALBERT MEADS5FD8]

I am having the same problem with the 2019 form. I think this may be still correct for this year:

"Don't bother trying to Export/Import data from old form to new using the Acrobat Form Options menu, as that will corrupt the new form and you'll have to start over. Either re-key everything or cut and paste."

I was able to import all the data from 2018 to 2019, however it fails to validate, wrongly saying the value or account number is missing. I tested a second version where I cut and pasted for the first two accounts, and that validated (still a problem with the "state" which I am hoping I can leave blank). Exporting the two files and comparing the two xml archives they are identical, yet one has errors and the other doesn't. This is insane. I wasted 1 1/2 days so I will give up and tomorrow just cut-and -paste, validate as I go,  and just hope for the best.

[Test Screen Name]

If the form designer changes the form fields or some kinds of validation you can't just export and import. The advice has been: re-key. No, that wasn't a good choice by the form creator, but complain to them.