Before You Drive to FDC SeaTac: Processing Times and When the Doors Actually Close

Visitor processing at FDC SeaTac doesn't start right at the posted visiting hour - it begins 30 minutes before. Show up exactly at the

Here's what catches many first-time visitors off guard: processing ends well before visiting ends. At FDC SeaTac, visitor processing stops one and one-half hours before the visitation period closes. Arriving before the visiting room "closes" doesn't guarantee you'll get in. On top of that, processing is suspended 45 minutes prior to official counts, which can pause intake even if you're otherwise within the day's visiting hours.

1. Start with Sunday’s posted visiting hours - Sunday social visiting hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
2. Know when processing opens - processing begins 30 minutes before the scheduled visiting hours, so you can start being processed at 7:00 a.m.
3. Know the processing cutoff - processing ends one and one-half hours before the end of the visitation period, so processing ends at 1:00 p.m.
4. Avoid the count-suspension window - processing is suspended 45 minutes prior to official counts, so don’t plan to arrive within 45 minutes of an official count time (even if it’s still “during visiting hours”).

1. Start with Monday’s posted visiting hours - Monday social visiting hours are 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
2. Know when processing opens - processing begins 30 minutes before the scheduled visiting hours, so you can start being processed at 1:30 p.m.
3. Know the processing cutoff - processing ends one and one-half hours before the end of the visitation period, so processing ends at 7:30 p.m.
4. Avoid the count-suspension window - processing is suspended 45 minutes prior to official counts, so build in a buffer so you’re not arriving during that 45-minute window before a count.

The same timing rules apply on other visiting days. Saturday hours are 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Friday hours are 2:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and official federal holidays follow the 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. schedule.

Also make sure you’re planning for a day visits actually happen: there is no visiting on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday at FDC SeaTac.

Arrive after the processing cutoff (one and one-half hours before visiting ends), and you won't be processed in. Arrive during the 45-minute suspension window before official counts, and processing is paused - meaning even a "technically on-time" arrival can leave you waiting until processing resumes, if it resumes before the cutoff.

• ✓ Aim to arrive early enough to be processed well before the one-and-a-half-hour cutoff.
• ✓ Remember processing begins 30 minutes before the posted visiting start time - so you can line up for check-in before visits officially start.
• ✓ Give yourself extra travel time so a delay doesn’t push you into the suspension window (processing stops 45 minutes before official counts).

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• ✓ Bring your identification (it’s the only personal item allowed into the Visiting Room).
• ✓ Leave other personal items locked in your vehicle, or use the front-lobby lockers for anything you can’t store in your vehicle.
• ✓ Time your drive so you arrive during the processing window (processing starts 30 minutes before visiting hours, ends 1.5 hours before the visit period ends, and is suspended 45 minutes before official counts).

Quick hours check: visiting is Sunday 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Monday 2:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., Friday 2:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., and official federal holidays 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. - with no visiting Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.