How to Get Approved to Visit Someone in a Tennessee Prison (CR-2152 checklist)

The CR-2152 is Tennessee's visitation application. What you write on it doesn't stay "just between you and the prison." The form states that your application becomes part of the inmate's institutional record and may be considered a public record available for review by the general public. Fill it out accurately, stick to what the form asks for, and don't overshare.

Start by getting a blank CR-2152 from the person you want to visit. TDOC policy says blank visitation application forms are furnished to all inmates, so your loved one should be able to request one inside.

1. Complete the CR-2152 and attach a current photograph - The application is not considered complete without a current photo.
2. Return it within 30 days to the correct office - The form should be completed and returned to the Deputy Superintendent/Associate Warden in charge of visitation within 30 days.
3. Watch the processing timeline - Applications should be approved or denied within 30 days of receipt.

Step2 Photo Address

• ✓ Attach a current photograph.
• ✓ Fill out all sections of the CR-2152.
• ✓ Use a physical address (a P.O. Box is not allowed).

If a child will be visiting, plan ahead for the photo requirement. Children age six and older must have an actual photograph attached to their visitor application (not a photocopy). TDOC also updates these photos at specific ages: 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18.

TDOC allows a fairly broad visitor list, but there are limits. All immediate family members who apply may be approved. Beyond that, the inmate can have up to eight additional adults approved after the CR-2152 is received.

The Warden or Superintendent has final say on visitor approvals. No one is admitted for visitation until the application is approved, with one narrow exception: immediate family of newly committed inmates can be placed on a temporary list for up to 60 days from the inmate's intake date. Once you're approved, remember the renewal rule: visitor applications must be updated every two years (24 months).

Be honest on the CR-2152. If you falsify information, TDOC policy says you can't resubmit a visitor application for a minimum of six months.

Some people are generally excluded from being approved. Current or former TDOC, TRICOR, or contract employees (including interns and practicum students) typically won't be approved unless they're immediate family members of the inmate.

TDOC keeps formal records of visits. Each institution maintains a bound visitor logbook with names of all visitors admitted, and completed logbooks are kept for three years. Visitor arrivals and departures are also entered into OMS Visitor History.

Final Checklist

• ✓ Complete and return the CR-2152 with a current photograph to the Deputy Superintendent/Associate Warden in charge of visitation within 30 days.
• ✓ Complete all sections of the CR-2152.
• ✓ List a physical address (a P.O. Box is not allowed).
• ✓ If the visitor is a child age 6 or older, attach an actual photograph (not a photocopy) and plan for photo updates at ages 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18.
• ✓ If a child under 18 will visit without their custodial parent, include the completed and notarized Parental Consent/Release for Minor’s Visitation Form (CR-2152, page 2).
• ✓ Plan to update the application every 24 months.