How to visit a federal inmate (2024)

General Visiting Information

Make sure your visit will be a success by carefully following these four steps.

Locate the inmate

Discover or confirm the whereabouts of the inmate you would like to visit.

Be Approved

Before you can visit you must be placed on the inmate's approved visiting list.

Be Prepared

Review all visiting rules, regulations, and procedures before your visit.

Locate the inmate

Sometimes an inmate may be moved to a different facility so that they can benefit from unique programs offered
at that location. They might also be moved to receive treatment for a medical condition or for security concerns.
Therefore, the first step in planning your visit should be to determine where the inmate is currently housed.

How to visit a federal inmate (1)

Please verify you are a human by entering the words you see in the textbox below.

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.

Upon arriving at a new prison, inmates create a visiting list using the following process:

  1. An inmate is given a Visitor Information Form when he/she arrives at a new facility.
  2. Inmate completes their portion of the form and mails a copy to each potential visitor.
  3. Potential visitor completes all remaining form fields.
  4. Potential visitor sends the completed form back to the inmate's address (listed on the form).
  5. We may request more background information and possibly contact other law enforcement agencies or the NCIC
  6. The inmate is told when a person is not approved to visit and it is the inmate's responsibility to notify that person.
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 circ*mstances 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, 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

You should be familiar with all visiting rules, regulations, and procedures before your visit.

In addition to the general guidelines below, before visiting you should read the Visiting Regulations policy which defines the visiting regulations and procedures for that specific location in greater detail. (The document is also available in Spanish: Regulaciones de Visitas).

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 thespecific 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.


General Visiting Hours

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How to get there
Unfortunately, there is no Government payment or reimbursem*nt 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. You can also use Google Maps to get directions to .

How to visit a federal inmate (2024)

FAQs

What is the app that talks to federal inmates? ›

CorrLinks is a way for family and friends to electronically communicate with their loved ones incarcerated in institutions.

What do you wear to visit a federal inmate? ›

No clothing that exposes the breast, genitalia, or buttocks area; No very tight, form-fitting attire; No wigs, hairpieces, extensions, or other headpieces except for medical reasons and with prior approval; No hats or gloves, except with prior approval or in inclement weather; and.

How do you communicate with a federal inmate? ›

While several inmate email services exist, all emails to and from federal inmates are sent through Corrlinks.com. While community members use the Corrlinks.com website, inmates use the TRULINCS computers in their housing unit to email.

Do US federal prisons allow conjugal visits? ›

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.

Can federal inmates use Facebook? ›

Federal inmates are already banned from using cell phones and are restricted from accessing the Internet. While a separate part of the BOP's plan would also make it an infraction to use social media to commit a crime, the bureau does not explain why it wants to punish inmates over the use of social media more broadly.

Does JPay work for federal inmates? ›

JPay is a private company that partners with state, county, and federal correctional facilities across the country to provide safe, reliable, and convenient services for family and friends of incarcerated individuals and payment solutions for offenders, parolees, and probationers.

Do federal inmates get cell phones? ›

Similarly, inbound calls and cell phones are not permitted in federal prisons. There is a monitored prison phone system available for inmate use, however, which allows inmates limited outbound telephone privileges from their housing units.

Can federal inmates watch TV? ›

TVs. Inmates incarcerated within the Federal Bureau of Prisons are not permitted to purchase personal televisions; instead, they are allowed to utilize communal TVs in inmate housing units and, at some federal prisons, in recreation departments.

Can I wear jeans to a visitation? ›

Navy, indigo, or black jeans are much more appropriate. Some companies offer tan or brown jeans, which can often mimic slacks in appearance. These can also be appropriate, as long as they aren't too bright. Generally, white jeans or other unconventional colors are probably best left at home.

Can federal inmates send text messages? ›

Inmates can only send and receive electronic messages from individuals on their approved contact list. This is how the process begins: An inmate requests to exchange electronic messages with a person in the community. They place that person on their contact list, which must be approved by staff.

How often can federal inmates make phone calls? ›

Now, most BOP inmates are allowed to make as many telephone calls as they are able to pay for or as many collect calls as people outside prison will accept.

How much money can a federal inmate have in their account? ›

The first are deposit accounts, in which the nation's nearly 140,000 federal inmates can keep an unlimited amount of money. These accounts are not subject to many of the regulations and scrutiny of regular bank accounts, because the agency does not consider itself a bank.

Why did they stop conjugal visits? ›

According to Leap, conjugal visits declined after an increase in attitudes that prison should be a place for punishment and that conjugal visits were not appropriate for people being punished, and also because academic literature in the 1980s and 1990s argued that it was not possible to rehabilitate some criminals.

Do federal inmates have tablets? ›

Since 2022, federally incarcerated folks have been able to purchase these electronic tablets.

What is the best text app for federal inmates? ›

TextBehind® connects you with every inmate across America using text messages with photos, custom greeting cards and electronic money orders. Unlimited inmate reply letters will be electronically delivered right to your smart phone and email address wherever you are in the world.

What apps do you download to talk to inmates? ›

The new Securus Mobile app* for Android lets you manage all of your communication with your incarcerated loved one from anywhere. Now you can fund a calling account so you're always ready to receive their call, check account balances, schedule and join a video visit…message an inmate… and so much more.

What is the GTL app? ›

GTL's GettingOut mobile app is rooted in the power of relationships. It provides simple and reliable communication between inmates and their family and friends -- allowing them to stay connected, even on the go!

What is securus mobile used for? ›

Securus Video ConnectSM allows you to securely connect with your incarcerated friends, family members or clients from your home, office, or anywhere using our Android or iOS app or a PC with internet access, and webcam.

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