How to Visit FCI McDowell, WV (WV)

Before locking in travel plans, spend a few minutes reading FCI McDowell's visiting regulations. Check any state and local travel advisories that could affect your trip, too. These two steps help you avoid wasted drives and last-minute surprises.

By law, inmates are entitled to at least four hours of visiting time per month. More time may be available in practice, but the Warden can still limit visit length or cap how many visitors are allowed at once. That flexibility means your options could shift on any given day.

You cannot visit FCI McDowell unless the person you're visiting has added you to their approved visiting list and the Bureau of Prisons has cleared you. In some cases, staff will ask you to complete a visitor questionnaire and release form (BP-A0629) before deciding whether to approve you.

Steps to Follow

• ✓ Review FCI McDowell’s visiting regulations before you plan your trip
• ✓ Check state and local travel advisories that could affect travel
• ✓ Call ahead to confirm the visiting schedule before you depart (603-342-4000)

• ✓ Confirm the inmate has placed you on their approved visiting list and that you have been cleared by the BOP
• ✓ If requested, complete the visitor questionnaire and release form (BP-A0629) so staff can review you for placement on the visiting list

• ✓ Plan around the baseline rule of at least four hours of visiting time per month
• ✓ Confirm whether the Warden has placed restrictions on visit length or the number of visitors at one time

• ✓ Do not send money using the facility address
• ✓ Follow BOP directions to send mailed funds to the processing center in Des Moines, Iowa

1. Call before you leave: Confirm the current visiting schedule directly with the facility (603-342-4000).
2. Ask about day-of changes: Verify whether anything temporary affects visiting on the date you plan to go.

1. Verify you’re on the list: Ask whether the inmate has added you to their approved visiting list.
2. Confirm clearance is complete: Make sure you have been cleared by the BOP before you show up.
3. Check on paperwork: Ask whether you need to complete BP-A0629 (visitor questionnaire and release) and how the facility wants it submitted.

1. Confirm available time: The legal minimum is at least four hours of visiting time per month, but availability can vary.
2. Ask about local limits: Check whether the Warden has restricted visit length or the number of visitors at one time due to crowding or other management needs.

Right before you leave, re-check state and local travel advisories. If conditions change, adjust your plan first, then confirm your visit is still on. Showing up when you cannot be accommodated wastes your time.