Penmate Inmate Support Guides
Visitation

What to Check Before You Drive to Visit Someone at FCI Marianna

Before you get in the car, take a few minutes to confirm the basics. A quick phone call can save you a wasted trip if hours have shifted or your loved one's visiting status has changed.

• 3 min read Verified from official sources

Call FCI Marianna at 603-342-4000 before you leave to confirm the visiting schedule. Even if you think you know the hours, make the call. This is especially true if you're driving a long distance or visiting for the first time.

Note: The visiting hours shown on the facility page reflect the most typical schedule. They may not account for special cases, including inmates in a special housing unit (who usually follow a modified schedule).

Even if you've visited before, visits can be restricted or cancelled on short notice. The Warden has authority to limit visiting for safety and security reasons, including severe weather or incidents that disrupt normal operations.

  1. Call before you drive. Use 603-342-4000 and confirm visits are running as normal that day.
  2. Ask about current restrictions. Specifically ask whether any safety, security, or operational issues are limiting visits.
  3. Confirm your loved one’s visiting status. Ask whether their housing or status changes their visiting schedule.

Federal policy sets minimums for visiting schedules, but it doesn't guarantee the exact hours you'll get on a specific day. At minimum, the Warden must offer visiting hours on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays. Each inmate must also receive at least four hours of visiting time per month.

Reminder: Minimum standards are not the same as “this weekend’s schedule.” Confirm the exact hours with the institution, and ask if any special-case schedule applies.

Immediate family members are ordinarily eligible for an inmate's visiting list. That typically includes a mother, father, step-parents, foster parents, brothers and sisters, spouse, and children, unless specific circumstances prevent it.

Practical Checklist

  • ✓ Bring a valid photo ID.
  • ✓ When you call 603-342-4000, confirm any ID details that could affect entry (for example, which IDs are accepted).
  • ✓ Ask what items you can bring into the visiting area, since the “typical” rules may not cover every case.
  • ✓ Plan ahead for storage of anything you cannot take in (for example, personal items you bring with you).
  • ✓ Confirm day-of visiting details by phone at 603-342-4000 before you start your drive.

Bringing children? Call ahead and ask whether any special rules apply to your visit. The facility's posted hours reflect the most typical schedule, and special housing situations can change how visiting works, including which time slots you're allowed to use.

Quick tip: Before you travel, confirm three things by phone: the schedule, what ID you need, and whether any special housing or restrictions affect the visit.

  1. Call the morning you plan to go. Use 603-342-4000 and confirm visits have not been restricted or cancelled.
  2. Ask about special housing or modified schedules. The posted hours are typical, and special housing often changes the schedule.
  3. Double-check you are not driving into a closure. Specifically ask whether weather or an incident is affecting normal operations and visiting.

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