Why does my PDF say “Please wait… If this message is not eventually replaced…”?

What an XFA form is

XFA forms, made with Adobe’s LiveCycle Designer, describe the form in data that Adobe’s viewers turn into pages when the file opens. Governments use them for complex forms with validation and barcodes; many Canadian immigration (IRCC) forms are XFA forms.

Because not every viewer can do that, the PDF also contains an ordinary page with the message “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.” People on Apple Support Communities and the CanadaVisa forum report seeing exactly that in Preview.

How to open it

1. Save the PDF to your computer first.
2. Open it with Adobe Acrobat Reader (right-click, Open With).
3. If the issuing organisation gives instructions, such as IRCC’s requirement for Reader 10 or higher, follow them.

If you only need to read or keep a copy

You may just need to read a completed form, check answers, or keep a record without installing Acrobat. A tool that lays out XFA forms can produce a static PDF for that. Submit the original form wherever the issuer requires it.