First-Time Visitor Checklist: What to Know Before You Go to FCI Forrest City Low

Before you travel, confirm the person you're visiting is actually housed at FCI Forrest City Low using the Bureau of Prisons inmate locator. Then make sure you're eligible to visit. You'll need to be on the inmate's approved visiting list - but there's an exception. If the inmate just arrived or was recently transferred and no visiting list exists yet, immediate family members may be allowed to visit if staff can verify the relationship through the inmate's pre-sentence report. Don't assume you're good to go. Call the institution ahead of time so you know whether you'll be permitted to visit before making the drive.

You'll need to prove who you are and that you're approved. The inmate must place you on their approved visiting list beforehand, and the institution may run background inquiries as part of the approval process (using form BP-A0629). Bring a valid, government-issued photo ID. If you're visiting as immediate family, have documentation ready to support the relationship in case staff asks.

If the inmate is newly arrived or recently transferred, call ahead. Immediate family members may be allowed to visit before a formal visiting list is set up - but only if the facility can verify the relationship through the inmate's pre-sentence information.

Dress Code

• ✓ Dress conservatively - provocative, revealing, or otherwise inappropriate clothing can get you denied
• ✓ Skip see-through garments, crop tops, low-cut tops/dresses, backless tops, and halter tops
• ✓ Avoid leotards, spandex, miniskirts, and shorts that are revealing
• ✓ Don’t wear sleeveless garments if they’re not permitted
• ✓ Avoid skirts/dresses that are very short or have high-cut splits
• ✓ Don’t wear clothing that looks like inmate clothing (such as khaki or green military-type clothing)
• ✓ Leave hats or caps at home if they aren’t allowed in the visiting room

Expect security screening when you arrive. By entering Bureau of Prisons grounds - or even attempting to - you give implied consent for staff to search you and your belongings. That includes bags, boxes, outerwear, your vehicle, and anything inside it. Refuse the search, and you can be turned away from Bureau grounds entirely.

• ✓ Weapons
• ✓ Explosives
• ✓ Drugs/intoxicants
• ✓ Currency (including large amounts of cash)
• ✓ Cameras of any type
• ✓ Recording equipment
• ✓ Telephones (any type)
• ✓ Radios
• ✓ Pagers
• ✓ Electronic devices

Bringing medication? Plan for extra steps. All medications must be listed on the BP-A0224 form, and you'll need to leave them at the entry area when you arrive.

Visiting is generally scheduled on weekends and holidays, sometimes during the week. Verify the specific visiting hours for FCI Forrest City Low before you travel. By law, inmates are entitled to at least four hours of visiting time per month - but the Warden can restrict visit length or the number of visitors at one time to prevent overcrowding. If you're juggling work, kids, or a long drive, confirming the current schedule can save you a wasted trip.

Budget for the trip as if you're fully on your own - because you are. There's no government payment or reimbursement for transportation, so you'll need to arrange and pay for travel to and from the facility yourself.

1. Call if the inmate is new to the facility - If they just arrived or transferred, ask whether immediate-family verification can allow a visit before a visiting list is finalized.
2. Confirm you’re approved to visit - Make sure you’re on the inmate’s approved visiting list and ask whether any background inquiry/processing is still pending.
3. Ask about restrictions before you drive - Check whether there are limits on visit length or how many people can visit at once due to overcrowding controls.