How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Getting on the visitor list starts with the inmate—they need to add you and send you a Visitor Information form. Complete and return the BP‑A0629 visitor questionnaire/release to the institution. This form authorizes the warden to run criminal background checks and includes warnings about federal penalties for false statements. Before you travel, call Rivers CI at 603‑342‑4000 to confirm the schedule. Visits typically happen on weekends and holidays, but the warden can limit visiting times or cap the number and length of visits to prevent overcrowding. By entering Bureau grounds, you consent to searches. Prohibited items—weapons, explosives, drugs, cameras, telephones, radios, and pagers—will get you turned away. Brief, appropriate contact is usually allowed at the start and end of visits. Conjugal visits aren't permitted.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
A posted visiting schedule is a starting point — not a guarantee. Before you drive to Rivers CI, take a few minutes to confirm visits are running and that your loved one can actually receive visitors that day.
Getting approved to visit at Rivers CI starts with the inmate. But you can save yourself a lot of frustration by checking the rules and confirming the schedule before making the trip.
Getting approved to visit at Rivers CI means going through the Bureau of Prisons' formal visitor approval process. Here's how the paperwork and screening work—and what to do if you hit a snag.
The inmate must send you a Visitor Information form and add you to their approved visiting list. You then complete and return the BP‑A0629 visitor questionnaire/release to the institution for approval. You can’t visit until you’re on the approved list.
Bringing prohibited items—such as weapons, explosives, drugs, cameras, telephones, radios, or pagers—can get you denied entry. You also implicitly consent to searches when you enter Bureau grounds, and refusing a search can stop your visit. Inappropriate, provocative, or revealing clothing can also lead to a denied visit.
Call Rivers CI at 603‑342‑4000 before you travel to confirm the posted visiting schedule. Visits commonly happen on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, but the warden may restrict visiting times or the number/length of visits to avoid overcrowding.
**Stop:** Do **NOT** send money to an inmate using Rivers CI’s street address. Any funds you send through the mail must be addressed to a processing center in **Des Moines, Iowa**.
Sending mail to someone at Rivers CI is straightforward once you know the right address format—and avoid the biggest mistake: mailing money directly to the facility.
Sending money is one of the most practical ways to support someone at Rivers CI. But it helps to know where that money actually goes, how it's tracked, and what information about you gets attached to the payment.
