Visiting Applications and Rules for Visiting Federal Bureau of Prisons (all BOP)
Federal Prisons Inmate visitation application - To visit, you must be pre-approved. You can only visit an inmate if they have placed you on their visiting list and you have been cleared by the BOP.
- An inmate is given a Visitor Information Form when he/she arrives at a new facility.
- Inmate completes their portion of the form and mails a copy to each potential visitor.
- Potential visitor sends the completed form back to the inmate's address (listed on the form).
- They may request more background information and possibly contact other law enforcement agencies or the NCIC
- The inmate is told when a person is not approved to visit and it is the inmate's responsibility to notify that person.
Be Approved - Before you can visit you must be placed on the inmate's approved visiting list.
Who can an inmate add to their visiting list?
Immediate Family:
- Mother
- Father
- Step-parent(s)
- Foster parent(s)
- Brothers
- Sisters
- Spouse
- Children
Relatives:
- Grandparents
- Uncles
- Aunts
- In-laws
- Cousins
Other types of approved visitors:
- No more than 10 friends/associates
- Foreign officials
- Members of religious groups including clergy
- Members of civic groups
- Employers (former or prospective)
- Sponsors
- Parole advisors
- Attorneys
In certain circumstances such as when an inmate first enters prison or is transferred to a new prison, a visiting list might not exist yet. In this case, immediate family members who can be verified by the information contained in the inmate's Pre-Sentence Report (PSR) may be allowed to visit. However, if there is little or no information available about a person, visiting may be denied. You should always call the prison ahead of time to ensure your visit will be permitted.
Be Prepared - Review all visiting rules, regulations, and procedures before your visit.
Dress Code
Wear clothing that is appropriate for a large gathering of men, women, and young children. Wearing inappropriate clothing (such as provocative or revealing clothes) may result in your being denied visitation.
The following clothing items are generally not permitted but please consult the visiting policy for the specific facility as to what attire and items are permitted in the visiting room:
- revealing shorts
- halter tops
- bathing suits
- see-through garments of any type
- crop tops
- low-cut blouses or dresses
- leotards
- spandex
- miniskirts
- backless tops
- hats or caps
- sleeveless garments
- skirts two inches or more above the knee
- dresses or skirts with a high-cut split in the back, front, or side
- clothing that looks like inmate clothing (khaki or green military-type clothing)
Visiting Duration
By law, an inmate gets at least four hours of visiting time per month but usually, the prison can provide more. However, the Warden can restrict the length of visits or the number of people who can visit at once, to avoid overcrowding in the visiting room.
General Behavior
Because many people are usually visiting, it is important visits are quiet, orderly, and dignified. The visiting room officer can require you to leave if either you or the inmate is not acting appropriately.
Physical Contact
In most cases, handshakes, hugs, and kisses (in good taste) are allowed at the beginning and end of a visit. Staff may limit contact for security reasons (to prevent people from trying to introduce contraband) and to keep the visiting area orderly. The Federal Bureau of Prisons does not permit conjugal visits.
Plan your trip - Find out when you can visit and get directions to the facility.
Visiting Schedules
All institutions have visiting hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays; and most have them at other times during the week. Weekends are the most popular time to visit so prisons may choose to limit visits to either Saturday or Sunday and the day will vary for each inmate. Other factors that can affect the days and times you can visit include:
- the prison location
- the prison type
- inmate visiting needs
- availability of visiting space
The inmate you plan to visit should tell you what the visiting schedule is for that prison; however, if you have any questions please contact that particular facility.
How to get there
Unfortunately, there is no Government payment or reimbursement for transportation. Please arrange transportation to and from the facility accordingly. If you have any questions, please call the prison facility. Staff can help with directions, including how to get there by public transportation when available.