How to Get Approved to Visit an Inmate at Kansas City RRM — Who Can Visit

For Kansas City RRM, you can’t visit until you’re on the inmate’s approved visiting list. That list is what staff use to decide who is allowed into a visit, so even if you’re family or you’ve visited someone elsewhere before, you still need to be approved for this person’s list before you make the trip.

The approved list isn't limited to parents and siblings. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, in-laws, and cousins can all be included - as long as the inmate adds you and you clear the approval process.

• ✓ Friends/associates can be approved, but the list is capped: an inmate may have no more than 10 friends/associates on their visiting list.

"Special category" visitors may also be approved depending on the inmate's situation. This includes foreign officials, clergy and other religious group members, civic group members, former or prospective employers, sponsors, parole advisors, and attorneys. The same rule applies: you must be added and cleared before any visit can happen.

Sometimes the visiting list isn't set up yet - like when someone first enters prison or gets transferred. During that window, immediate family members may be allowed to visit if staff can verify them using information in the inmate's Pre-Sentence Report. Verification is key here. If there's little or no information about you on file, visiting may be denied even if you believe you qualify as immediate family.

The visiting list starts with the inmate - they're the one who adds people. Your job is to wait until that approval comes through before trying to visit. Show up before you're approved, and you'll likely be turned away at the door.

Before you plan a visit, confirm the inmate’s current whereabouts. People can be moved to a different location for things like programs, treatment, or security needs, and that can change where (and whether) you’re able to visit.

1. Call ahead before you travel - you should always call the prison ahead of time to make sure your visit will be permitted.
2. Confirm the inmate’s current location - ask staff to verify the inmate’s whereabouts so you’re planning for the right place.
3. Ask about any special situation - if the inmate is newly arrived or recently transferred, ask whether the immediate-family verification process applies and what you’ll need for the visit to be allowed.