Before You Apply: Why You Shouldn't Submit a Visitation Application During Intake

ADCRR's instruction is clear: do not submit a visitation application while the inmate is in intake at Alhambra or Perryville. Applying during this period means starting a timeline when your loved one's status is still in flux. That can make everything harder than it needs to be.

Wait until you can confirm where your loved one is housed. Once you know the unit, use the unit's visitation information to plan your next steps. The Kingman Cerbat Unit (ASPC Cerbat), for example, has its own visitation calendar on the ADCRR visitation schedule page. Those unit calendars show the details you need after intake is complete.

Timing matters. ADCRR gives you a 30-day window to complete your application packet. Background-check fees and any required supporting documents must be received within 30 days of the application date. Miss that window, and your application is considered incomplete. It won't be processed.

Even after you submit everything, approval takes time. ADCRR asks visitors to allow up to 60 days for processing once payment (if applicable) and documentation are received. This is another reason applying at the wrong time backfires: you lose time on the front end, then still face the full processing window on the back end.

Practical When to Apply

• ✓ Wait to submit your visitation application until intake is complete (do not apply while your loved one is in intake at Alhambra or Perryville).
• ✓ Apply after your loved one has been assigned to a housing unit, so you are not starting the 30-day clock while their status is still changing.

Once your loved one is out of intake and assigned to a unit, check ADCRR's unit-based visitation schedule. The Kingman Cerbat Unit, for example, has its own visitation calendar on the ADCRR visitation schedule page. Reviewing the unit calendar helps you plan your next steps with real information, instead of guessing during intake.

1. Look at what you submitted and the dates - Confirm your application date, since fees and required supporting documents must be received within 30 days or the application will be incomplete and not processed.
2. Make sure the complete packet gets received - If anything is missing, send the required payment (if applicable) and supporting documentation so the processing timeline can start.
3. Set expectations for the wait - After payment (if applicable) and supporting documentation are received, allow up to 60 days for the application to be processed.