Before Your First In-Person Visit to EMRF: What to Bring and What Can Get You Turned Away

EMRF limits each visit to three visitors total, including children. Show up with four people and staff can stop the visit before it starts. Decide ahead of time who's going in and who's staying back.

Bringing a minor? Plan the adults carefully. EMRF requires minors to be accompanied by a parent, court-appointed guardian, or another adult with legal custody. If the right adult isn't there, the visit can end at check-in.

Every visitor 18 or older needs valid ID for EMRF check-in. Put it somewhere you won't forget it. Arriving without ID is one of the easiest ways to lose your visit.

Starting November 06, 2025, EMRF requires all visitors to check in 60 minutes before the scheduled visit time. Your "arrival time" isn't your visit start time. It's at least an hour earlier. Build that hour into your plan. If you arrive too close to the scheduled time, you may not complete check-in in time to visit.

To ask questions or reserve an in-person visit at EMRF, call the Custody Information number at (619) 409-5000. When prompted, select the option for East Mesa Reentry Facility.

You can call (619) 409-5000 to reserve in-person social visits Wednesday through Sunday, 6:30am to 6:00pm. Call outside that window and you'll need to try again during scheduling hours.

Visits at EMRF are first-come, first-served, and there are no same-day visits. If you have a specific day in mind, get your reservation in early.

Need to cancel? EMRF allows cancellations in person with ID verification. Even when you've done everything right, visits can still be canceled at any time due to rule violations, an incarcerated person's transfer, or jail security concerns.