How to send messages, photos, and packages
FCI Terre Haute treats most communication as monitored. A notice posted next to each telephone warns inmates that non-legal calls may be recorded and reviewed. Unmonitored calls to attorneys are permitted under certain circumstances—contact the facility to learn how those exceptions work. For electronic messaging, inmates use TRULINCS. It's text-only, limited to 13,000 characters per message, and requires consent to monitoring. Inmates don't have internet access. Package rules are strict. Inmates generally can't receive packages from home without prior written approval. Only release clothing and authorized medical devices may come from home. Books and magazines must be sent directly from approved sources. For phone, video, tablet, or messaging services, register with the approved vendor and request authorization through their portal.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Sending something comforting to someone in federal prison sounds simple, but the rules are strict. Here's how packages, books, magazines, and newspapers work at FCI Terre Haute—and what to do if something gets rejected.
Yes. A notice is posted next to each telephone advising inmates that calls are monitored.
Sometimes. Unmonitored telephone calls to attorneys are permitted under certain circumstances, so contact the facility to confirm how private legal calls are arranged.
TRULINCS messages are text-only and limited to 13,000 characters. They require consent to monitoring, and inmates do not have internet access.
Not usually. Inmates may not receive packages from home without prior written approval; only release clothing and authorized medical devices may come from home, and books or magazines must be sent directly from approved sources or distributors.
Yes, but sourcing matters. Under BOP policy P5266.11, hardcover publications and newspapers must be sent only from the publisher, a book club, or a bookstore, and softcover rules vary by security level (with tighter limits at medium, high, and administrative institutions).
Only the Warden (or Acting Warden) can reject an incoming publication, and you should receive written notice explaining why and how to appeal. The publisher or sender can request an independent review by writing to the Regional Director within 20 days of that notice.
Getting approved to visit at FCI Terre Haute comes down to one thing: being added to the inmate's approved visiting list and cleared by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Here's how the list works, what paperwork you'll need, and the narrow exception that lets immediate family visit early when someone first arrives.
MoneyGram ExpressPayment routes funds directly into an inmate's account through the Federal Bureau of Prisons system. Two details matter every time: the BOP MoneyGram Receive Code (always the same) and the account number format (a specific combination of the person's register number and last name). Timing matters too. Payments sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST typically post within 2–4 hours. Send after 9:00 p.m. EST? The funds won't appear until 7:00 a.m. EST the next morning.
Visits go smoothly when you clear two hurdles: getting approved ahead of time and following the rules at the door. This checklist covers the common reasons people get turned away—and what to expect once you're inside.
