FCI TERMINAL ISLAND

Every visitor at FCI Terminal Island must be on the inmate's approved visiting list and cleared by the Bureau of Prisons before a visit can happen—start the approval process early. The visiting list can include relatives and other approved visitor types, but friends and associates are limited to ten names. If an inmate has just been admitted or transferred and a visiting list hasn't been established yet, immediate family members verified by the inmate's Pre‑Sentence Report may be permitted to visit. Federal law guarantees inmates at least four hours of visiting time per month, and the institution follows BOP guidance for weekend and holiday visiting—check the facility page for current days and times. When you enter Bureau grounds, you consent to searches and must complete BP‑A0224 (including a prohibited-items checklist). Any medications must be listed and left at the entry area.

Electronic messaging at FCI Terminal Island runs through the BOP's TRULINCS system. Before you can exchange messages, both the inmate and each person they want to contact must be approved. TRULINCS messages are text-only—no attachments—and limited to 13,000 characters per message. The service is funded entirely through the Inmate Trust Fund, not taxpayer dollars. Phone privileges follow BOP policy: inmates are ordinarily charged for calls, posted notices advise that calls are monitored, and third-party or alternative calling arrangements aren't allowed. The facility's call platform (TRUFONE) collects calling numbers, voice biometric verification, call recordings, and account balances. Recordings are generally deleted after 180 days unless kept for legal or administrative reasons, and correspondence tracking records are removed under NARA schedules (often around two years). Platforms can change, so confirm the current system before setting up video or electronic messaging.

Mail rules at FCI Terminal Island are strict—plan before you send anything. Inmates generally can't receive packages from home without prior written approval. The only items specifically allowed from home are release clothing and authorized medical devices, and both require written permission. Want something quicker than postal mail? TRULINCS electronic messaging is available, but only after the inmate and each correspondent are approved. Messages are text-only and capped at 13,000 characters. Expect both incoming and outgoing mail to be screened and processed for contraband under facility procedures. Legal mail typically gets special handling and isn't read during contraband checks. When addressing mail, use the inmate's full booked name and identifier, include your return address, and avoid decorative or hard-to-inspect enclosures while following photo and enclosure limits.

FCI Terminal Island accepts MoneyGram ExpressPayment deposits to an inmate trust account. When sending money, use the inmate's register number followed by their last name as the account number. For online submissions, enter Receive Code 7932. First-time MoneyGram users need to set up an account using a MasterCard or Visa. Online deposits are limited to $300 per transaction. MoneyGram processes transfers seven days a week: payments sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST typically post within 2–4 hours, while anything sent after 9:00 p.m. EST posts the following morning. Considering a different deposit method? Confirm what the facility accepts and have the inmate's full name and booking/ID ready. Never mail cash.