Your First 40 Days: Visiting a Newly Committed Inmate at MCI Norfolk

If your loved one was just committed to MCI Norfolk, there's a short window where you can visit while paperwork catches up. Newly committed inmates can have two (2) visitors come in while the pre-approval process is still pending - but this temporary access has a hard deadline. Those two pending visitors become inactive after forty (40) business days if they aren't fully approved by then.

Beyond that temporary window, the rule is simple: you must be on the inmate's pre-approved visiting list before you can visit. The one exception is for minors. Children under 18 don't need pre-approval themselves, but they still have to come with a parent or legal guardian who has physical custody and is already on the approved list.

During this early "newly committed" period, MCI Norfolk follows Department policy allowing the inmate to receive two (2) visitors while approvals are still pending. Think of it as a bridge - it keeps family contact possible right away, but it's not a substitute for getting fully approved.

Children can usually be part of these early visits too. Newly committed inmates may have a reasonable number of visiting children pending pre-approval. If the child is under 18, they don't need separate approval - but they must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who has physical custody and is on the inmate's pre-approved list.

The "first 40 days" rule means forty (40) business days - not calendar days. If you're one of the two visitors allowed in pending approval, that status expires. After forty (40) business days, pending visitors become inactive if they haven't been properly approved through the application process.

"Inactive" means exactly what it sounds like: you can't keep visiting just because you got in early. Ongoing visits require being on the pre-approved list. If your approval isn't finalized before the 40-business-day window closes, you lose access until it goes through.

1. Get the Visitor Application Form - Use the Massachusetts DOC “Visiting an inmate” page to find the Visitor Application Form.
2. Fill it out completely - Complete the Visitor Application Form with your information.
3. Mail it to the institution you plan to visit - Send the completed form to MCI Norfolk (the application itself includes mailing details, and DOC materials also direct you to mail the form to the specific institution you intend to visit).

Once you submit the application, the institution reviews it and notifies both you and the inmate of the decision. Since your temporary access can expire after 40 business days, treat the application as urgent. Keep an eye out for that approval or denial notice.

Tips Avoid Loss

• ✓ Submit the Visitor Application Form as soon as possible and mail it to MCI Norfolk.
• ✓ Keep a copy of what you sent (so you can re-check what you wrote if there’s a question).
• ✓ Watch for the decision notice - both you and the inmate will be notified of approval or denial.
• ✓ Confirm your loved one has added you to their pre-approved visiting list (visits generally require pre-approval).
• ✓ If a child will visit, make sure the accompanying parent/legal guardian (with physical custody) is on the inmate’s pre-approved visiting list.

If you're juggling more than just visits right now, the Massachusetts DOC website also covers other basics - like finding an inmate and depositing money. Those resources can help you get oriented while you wait for visiting approval.