can victim visit inmates

Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Federal Bureau of Prisons

General visiting information.

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

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

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

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

Find out when you can visit and get directions to the facility.

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.

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.

• 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 completes all remaining form fields.
• Potential visitor sends the completed form back to the inmate's address (listed on the form).
• We 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.

Who can an inmate add to their visiting list?

• Step-parent(s)
• Foster parent(s)
• Grandparents
• No more than 10 friends/associates
• Foreign officials
• Members of religious groups including clergy
• Members of civic groups
• Employers (former or prospective)
• Parole advisors

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, 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.

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
• low-cut blouses or dresses
• 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)

Plan your trip

• 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

Camp general visiting hours, fsl general visiting hours.

• Discount Calls
• Inmate Deposits
• Letters and Photos
• Greeting Cards
• Find An Inmate
• Prison Directory
• Second Chance Jobs
• Ask the Inmate
• Famous Inmates
• True Prison Stories
• Strange Prison Facts

Inmate Mail

• Sent Letters & Post Cards
• Letters From Inmates
• Discount Phone Lines
• Inmate Pages
• Inmates I'm Following
• Questions & Answers
• Order History
• Manage Magazines
• Edit Account Details
• Manage Existing Cards
• InmateAID Wallet($0.00)
• Letters & Photos
• Postcards & Greeting Cards
• Send to Inmate
• Ask The Inmate

Our staff will not be in the office for their safety - please email all communication requests to [email protected]. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Visiting Applications and Rules for Visiting Federal Bureau of Prisons (all BOP)

Connect with an inmate.

• Arrest Records
• Send Letters & Photos
• Send Postcards
• Send Magazines
• Registered Offenders

Public Records Search

Thank you for trying AMP!

You got lucky! We have no ad to show to you!

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:

• Step-parent(s)
• Foster parent(s)
• Grandparents

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)
• Parole advisors

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
• low-cut blouses or dresses
• 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.

• City & County Jails
• State Prisons
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
• US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
• FIND AN INMATE

Rejected for Inmate Visitation: Why did the jail tell me I can’t visit?

Posted 7/4/2014 by Mark Miclette Inmate Visitation , Visitation

Visiting an Inmate

Visitors play an important role in an inmate’s successful re-entry into the community. We aim to make your visit to a state facility helpful and secure.

We also provide video visitation opportunities in partnership with Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI) , an independent organization that offers services to family members of inmates.

You can find full details on our visitation policy in Operating Procedure 851.1 .

How it Works

Apply for visitation.

Submit a visitation application online if you are a new visitor or renewing your visitation privileges.

Renew Visitation Privileges

All visitor applications expire two years after the approval date. Submit a new, updated visitor application online at least 45 days before expiration for in-state visitors and 90 days before expiration for out-of-state visitors to continue uninterrupted visitation privileges.

Child Applications

Just like adult visitors, minor visitors must be approved and registered for visitation. If you would like to apply for a minor to visit an inmate, you must attach their application to an adult application.

Complete the online visitation application and follow the prompts to add a minor. You can add more than one minor to your application.

Who You Can Visit

You will only be able to visit multiple inmates if they are your immediate family members. According to Operating Procedure 851.1, immediate family members include the inmate's: parents, step parents, grandparents, lawful spouse, biological, step or legally adopted children, and biological, half, step, or legally adopted siblings. The corrections operations administrator decides on appeals regarding an individual’s status as immediate family. Visitors are limited to visiting one inmate that is not an immediate family member. Non-immediate family members include: fiancés, girlfriends, boyfriends, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends, in-laws, and neighbors.

Application Assistance

If you need help completing an application to visit an inmate, we encourage you to contact Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI) . They do not have access to information regarding your application once it has been submitted. For application status information, please contact our staff.

Schedule a Visit

Once you receive approval to visit an inmate in a VADOC facility, you must schedule your visit online using the Visitation Scheduler . If you are a new user, you must first register using the “Register Today” option.

After you have submitted your registration, you will receive a notification that your request is "waiting for approval." You will then receive an email within three working days to determine if your request has been approved.

Once approved, you may select an available date and time to visit an inmate. Visits may be scheduled up to 14 days in advance. Visitors are permitted a maximum of one visit per weekend.

Prepare for Your Scheduled Visit

Once you have both applied for visitation and scheduled your visit, please review the following information to help you prepare for your in-person visit.

Please arrive at the facility one hour prior to your visit for security screening. No food or drinks will be allowed in the facility, and there will be no access to vending machines.

What to Bring

You will need to bring at least one form of valid picture identification that matches the information on your application. Acceptable forms of ID include:

• Driver’s License
• Military ID
• Other official picture ID issued by a federal or state agency

All visitors, including children, will need to follow the dress code when visiting an inmate. Please adhere to the following guidelines when visiting a facility:

Attire must cover from the neck to the kneecaps, include appropriate underwear, and footwear must be worn at all times.

Attire must not be inappropriate in any way, This includes: tube tops, tank tops, or halter tops; clothes that expose your midriff, side, or back; mini-skirts, mini-dresses, shorts, skorts, or culottes (at or above the kneecap); form-fitting clothes like leotards, spandex, and leggings; see-through clothing; tops or dresses that have revealing necklines and/or excessive splits; clothing resembling offender clothing. contain symbols or signs with inappropriate language or graphics. This includes gang symbols, racist comments, inflammatory communications, etc. Watches and all wearable technology are prohibited (including Google Glasses).

If your wardrobe is considered inappropriate, you will be referred to the administrative duty officer. The officer will then make the final decision on whether you are allowed to enter the visiting room.

General Visitation Information

Facility visitation schedule.

All institutions typically allow visiting on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays. However, visitation procedures at individual institutions may vary and can be changed at any time. Please contact the facility directly before planning a visit to obtain further information.

Find contact information in our facility directory.

Please note that the officially recognized Virginia state holidays are listed as follows:

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• George Washington Day
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Columbus Day & Yorktown Victory Day
• Election Day
• Veterans Day
• Thanksgiving
• Day After Thanksgiving

Accessibility

We provide reasonable accommodation during visitation for those who are disabled. If you have a mobility impairment, please contact the facility before visiting to ensure accommodations are in place.

Service or guide animals may be permitted in the visitation area based on specific circumstances. Please submit a request to the facility to receive proper approval before your visit.

You can find more information in Operating Procedure 851.1.

Visitors with Medical Conditions

If you are pregnant or have a medical condition that prohibits you from going through the electronic scanning device on the day of your scheduled visit, you will need to bring documentation from your medical provider. The documentation must confirm that you are unable to pass through the electronic scanning device due to your condition. An alternate search procedure will be offered to you.

For visitors needing accommodation to enter a VADOC facility with medication, you must obtain a doctor's note indicating that the medication must be maintained on your person. At least one week prior to the scheduled visit, you must contact the Facility Unit Head or designee to gain approval to enter the facility with medication.

• CDCR Facebook (opens new window)
• CDCR Twitter (opens new window)
• YouTube (opens new window)
• Instagram (opens new window)

Beginning July 1, 2024, CDCR made a difficult, but necessary cost-saving changes: We are discontinuing the TransMetro bus service

Prepare to Visit

Visiting guidelines.

After you’ve received approval to visit and understand the scheduling process , get familiar with CDCR’s adult inmate visiting guidelines so you’re prepared to visit.

Here’s what you need to know :

• Types of Visits
• Vaccination/Testing Procedures for Visitors
• Identification Required for Visiting
• Attire Restrictions
• Items a Visitor May Bring
• Arrival for Visiting
• Processing of Visitors
• In the Visiting Room
• Prisoner’s Eligibility to Visit

Federal Bureau of Prisons

General visiting information.

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

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

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

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

Find out when you can visit and get directions to the facility.

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.

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.

• 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 completes all remaining form fields.
• Potential visitor sends the completed form back to the inmate's address (listed on the form).
• We 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.

Who can an inmate add to their visiting list?

• Step-parent(s)
• Foster parent(s)
• Grandparents
• No more than 10 friends/associates
• Foreign officials
• Members of religious groups including clergy
• Members of civic groups
• Employers (former or prospective)
• Parole advisors

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, 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.

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
• low-cut blouses or dresses
• 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)

Plan your trip

• 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

Camp general visiting hours, fsl general visiting hours.

Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

UK Edition Change

• UK Politics
• News Videos
• Paris 2024 Olympics
• Rugby Union
• Sport Videos
• John Rentoul
• Mary Dejevsky
• Andrew Grice
• Sean O’Grady
• Photography
• Theatre & Dance
• Culture Videos
• Fitness & Wellbeing
• Food & Drink
• Health & Families
• Royal Family
• Electric Vehicles
• Car Insurance Deals
• Lifestyle Videos
• UK Hotel Reviews
• News & Advice
• Simon Calder
• Australia & New Zealand
• South America
• C. America & Caribbean
• Middle East
• Politics Explained
• News Analysis
• Today’s Edition
• Home & Garden
• Broadband deals
• Fashion & Beauty
• Travel & Outdoors
• Sports & Fitness
• Climate 100
• Sustainable Living
• Climate Videos
• Solar Panels
• Behind The Headlines
• On The Ground
• Decomplicated
• You Ask The Questions
• Binge Watch
• Travel Smart
• Watch on your TV
• Crosswords & Puzzles
• Most Commented
• Newsletters
• Ask Me Anything
• Virtual Events
• Wine Offers
• Betting Sites

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in

Royal news live: Harry visa ‘drugs’ row update as ‘judge decides case’ as Charles meets Southport survivors

Prince harry’s visa application has been reviewed following drug-taking revelations in spare, article bookmarked.

Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world

Sign up to our free morning headlines email, thanks for signing up to the morning headlines email.

A judge is understood to have completed their review of Prince Harry’s visa application to the US following revelations about his past drug use in his bombshell 2023 memoir Spare .

The Duke of Sussex ’s visa came under scrutiny following his recollections of taking several illegal substances, including cocaine and magic mushrooms.

Judge Carl Nichols submitted his decision to a court in Washington DC in a sealed document after spending four months reviewing Harry’s visa, The Sun reports.

The judge’s decision could be made public in the coming days, and should it emerge that the duke lied, his continued residence in the US could be at risk.

The think tank group the Heritage Foundation brought about the case after suing the Department of Homeland Security for denying a Freedom of Information request to see Harry’s application.

This comes as King Charles is set to privately meet with the bereaved families from the Southport attack in London today.

The monarch yesterday visited Southport to express his “sympathy and empathy” for the town, which is still in a state of shock following the 29 July stabbing that left three children dead.

Harry has ‘no regrets’ about leaving royal family

There have been conflicting reports about how the Duke of Sussex feels four years on from his departure from the royal family .

A source told The Times that he has “no regrets” about his decision, even though another source told the outlet that his relationship with his family has deteriorated to the point where Prince William does not want his younger brother at his coronation when the time comes.

Harry and Meghan ‘desperate to start healing the rift'

A royal expert has claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are “desperate” to heal their rift with the royal family.

The couple’s relationship with The Firm has steadily deteriorated since they stepped down as working royals in 2020 and engaged in a series of tell-all interviews.

A former employee told the Daily Mail : “It seems quite clear that they are desperate to start healing the rift.”

It has been suggested that this desperation stems from the potential re-election of Donald Trump in November.

The former president promised to treat Harry like any other citizen should it emerge that he lied about his prior drug use on his visa application.

Meghan Markle ‘could become a Democratic candidate'

Ahead of the US election , it has been suggested that the Duchess of Sussex could follow in the footsteps of other celebrities and go into politics.

Former BBC Royal Correspondent Michael Cole said that the Democratic party could “do with a talented and good-looking candidate”.

He noted: “In California, there have been people like Schwarzenegger, and not to mention Ronald Reagan – both of them actors of some skill, who went on to be governors of California.”

Harry and Meghan ‘could have left with dignity and decency'

A former friend of Prince Harry has slammed the Sussexes for their lack of “dignity” after they stepped down as working royals .

Following the 2020 decision, the couple has not shied away from telling all about their experiences in The Firm in several interviews and Harry’s bombshell memoir Spare .

The former friend told The Times : “Harry and Meghan could have left with dignity and decency and not trashed the institution. The conclusion is they’ve made money from trashing his family.”

Prince Andrew could move to Frogmore Cottage

Following the news that King Charles has stripped Prince Andrew of his privately funded security at the Royal Lodge , the disgraced Duke of York could be forced to leave.

One of the potential new homes for Andrew could be Frogmore Cottage , which is in good condition thanks to the £2.4 million renovations carried out when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were living there.

However, Andrew is reported to have already turned down the cottage, deeming it too much of a “demotion” from the 30-room mansion he has occupied since 2003.

Prince Harry ‘outrageously disloyal'

One of Prince Harry ’s former friends has branded the Duke of Sussex “outrageously disloyal” for his actions after stepping down as a working royal.

Speaking to The Times ahead of Harry’s 40th birthday next month, they said: “I can’t believe he’d stoop so low. It’s outrageously disloyal. Oprah, Netflix and then the book? Three strikes and you’re out.”

King Charles thanks Southport first repsonders

King Charles met with first responders in Southport yesterday as he visited the town following last month’s devastating attack .

A video of the meeting was shared to the official royal family Twitter/X account with the following statement: “Thank you to the frontline emergency services for your selfless dedication to protect the people of Southport and nearby communities.”

🩷 Thank you to the frontline emergency services for your selfless dedication to protect the people of Southport and nearby communities. The King met community leaders and Merseyside’s Police, Fire & Rescue and Ambulance services to hear about their response to recent events. pic.twitter.com/97jdG51xiM — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) August 20, 2024

Judge ‘files decision’ on Prince Harry’s visa application

A judge is understood to have filed their decision on Prince Harry’s US visa application .

The document was subject to a four-month review following revelations about the Duke of Sussex ’s prior drug use in his 2023 memoir Spare .

While the decision has not yet been made public, it could be released in the coming days.

Former president Donald Trump said that he would treat Harry like any other citizen should he be reelected in November and it emerges that the royal lied.

Prince William ‘irritated’ by Harry and Meghan’s well wishes for Princess of Wales

Prince William was reportedly “irritated” by a subtle detail of Harry and Meghan’s public well-wishes for the Princess of Wales following her cancer diagnosis.

Following the March announcement, the Sussexes released a statement that read: “We wish health and healing for Kate and the family, and hope they are able to do so privately and in peace.”

“William takes offence at people calling Catherine ‘Kate,’ because she has asked to be known as Catherine. It’s a fairly simple wish to respect,” a friend told the Daily Beast.

“[The] fact that Harry and Meghan were unable to bring themselves to use her chosen name, even when they were sending her get-well-soon messages after her cancer diagnosis, was noted.”

Princess Lilibet’s ‘great tragedy'

Following the news that Princess Lilibet has “found her voice” when speaking, a royal expert has said there is a “great tragedy” in her life.

News of the youngster’s development was revealed by the Duchess of Sussex on her recent tour of Colombia.

“She has found her voice,” Meghan said at an event for women. “And we’re so proud of that because that is how we, as I was saying, create the conditions in which there’s a ripple effect of young girls and young women knowing that if someone else is encouraging them to use their voice and be heard, that’s what they’re going to do.”

Reacting to the revelation, former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole said: “I think what that little child won’t be saying is ‘hello, grandpa’, which is a great, great tragedy, because she hasn’t met King Charles, she hasn’t met Thomas Markle, her maternal grandfather – it’s such a shame.

“They go around the world, and they’re trying to do good, and we welcome the good, but you’ve got to actually take that home.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

New to The Independent?

Or if you would prefer:

Hi {{indy.fullName}}

• My Independent Premium
• Account details
• Help centre