Inmate Visiting Applications

Planning on visiting an inmate in prison, but not sure where to start?  
You've reached the right place.  

The first step for visiting any inmate is to find out where the inmate is located.  If you don't already know this information you can find it out quickly and easily here for free.  Just use our inmate search page to find the corresponding state your inmate is incarcerated in. 

Remember, when you look up an inmate, you will want to record down the inmate identification number that has been issued by the government.  The inmate ID number will come in useful many times during the incarceration of your loved one and will be needed to send them mail, fill out a visiting application and even when referencing the inmate over the phone or on any paperwork. 

Once you have located your inmate online you can begin to fill out a visitors application.  We have compiled all of the available state inmate visiting applications for you right here, so you can quickly and easily access them.  

Once you have filled them out, you will need to either mail them to the inmate, or the address specified within the application.  

Be sure you read over the entire visitors application, and fill it out legibly and accurately.  Do not lie on the application, as it can result in you being denied visitation.  

Some of the reasons you may be denied to visit with an inmate:

• You have recently served time in a correctional facility
• You are on probation
• You are on bond awaiting a pending court case
• You have a protective order against you or the inmate
• You have an outstanding warrant
• You are a victim of the offender
• You have been deemed a safety or security risk

After sending in your paperwork you can expect to wait anywhere from one to six weeks for the application to be reviewed.  The fluctuation in processing time is because each visitor needs to have a background check done, and during holiday times when many people want to visit, you can expect to wait longer.  Most institutions leave it up to the inmate to inform all applicants if they have been approved or denied visitation, so don't wait expecting to get a call or letter in the mail from the facility, you must stay in constant contact with the inmate either through the phone or through letters to learn your status.

Inmate visitor applications by state

The following applications are mostly available in .pdf format, which will require a pdf reader to view.  Some prisons are beginning to update to an all electronic visitors application.  Where applicable, we have provided a direct link to the electronic form, where you can fill out and submit the visitors application in it's entirety online.