How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Visiting FCI McDowell takes a little planning. You'll need to complete and return the BP‑A0629 visitor questionnaire to the institution address before you can be considered for visiting privileges. Before making the trip, confirm the facility's visiting schedule by phone and review Bureau of Prisons visiting regulations along with any applicable state or local travel advisories. By entering (or attempting to enter) Bureau grounds, you consent to being searched. Refusing a search can get you turned away. Certain items are prohibited on Bureau grounds, including cameras, recording equipment, telephones, radios, pagers, and other electronic devices, so check the facility's rules on what you can bring. Be accurate on your questionnaire: false statements can carry federal penalties under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Attorneys follow a separate BP‑A0243 process, and that information may be shared with law enforcement when relevant.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Want to visit someone in federal custody? Getting approved starts with paperwork. The BP‑A0629 visitor questionnaire is the form the Bureau of Prisons uses to decide whether you'll be added to an inmate's visiting list.
Trying to get approved to visit someone in federal custody? The first hurdle is paperwork. Here's what the BP-A0629 background questionnaire covers, how it's used, and what can cause delays or denials.
Before you travel, call 603-342-4000 to confirm the current visiting schedule. The posted hours cover the most common time slots, but they don't apply to every situation. If the person you're visiting is in a special housing unit, they'll likely be on a modified schedule. Confirm what applies to them specifically before you make the trip.
Federal prison visits go smoother when you show up with as little as possible. Here's what to leave at home, what to expect at screening, and why refusing a search can end your visit before it starts.
Complete and return the BP‑A0629 visitor questionnaire to the institution address. The form must be received before you can be considered for visiting privileges. Ask the inmate to add you to their approved visiting list, and follow any additional Bureau clearance steps before traveling.
No. Visitors are prohibited from possessing cameras, recording equipment, telephones, radios, pagers, and other electronic devices on Bureau grounds.
Yes. By entering or attempting to enter Bureau grounds you consent to being searched, and refusal to be searched may result in being prohibited from entering the facility.
Before you make the trip to FCI McDowell, call 603-342-4000 to confirm the current visiting schedule. The hours listed on the facility page reflect the typical schedule, but they don't always apply. People housed in a special housing unit often have a modified visiting schedule. The Warden can also restrict or cancel visits for safety and security reasons, including severe weather or other incidents that disrupt normal operations.
If you want money to reach someone at FCI McDowell, you need to follow the Bureau of Prisons-approved process. The biggest mistake people make? Trying to mail cash or a money order directly to the prison.
Planning to mail money for someone at FCI McDowell? The most important rule is simple: do not send it to the facility address. All mailed funds must go to the Bureau of Prisons processing center in Des Moines, Iowa.
