Getting on the Visiting List: How to Complete BP-A0629 and What To Expect

You can't just show up to a BOP facility. To visit an inmate, they need to put you on their visiting list first - and then the BOP has to clear you.

When someone arrives at a new prison, they build a visiting list during intake. That list includes certain family members - grandparents, uncles, aunts, in-laws, cousins - plus other approved visitors.

If you're being added as a friend or associate (not a relative), there's a hard cap: no more than 10 friends/associates on the list. If it's already full, the inmate will need to remove someone before you can be added.

BP-A0629 comes as a packet with clear instructions: fill out the questionnaire and release form, then mail everything to the institution address printed on the form. Use that exact address so your paperwork reaches the right place.

You'll notice a Spanish template included with BP-A0629. That's just an instructional example - don't fill it in. Complete the actual questionnaire and release form instead.

Part of BP-A0629 is an authorization to release information to the Warden. When you sign, you're allowing the release of records for any criminal offenses you've been arrested for or convicted of, plus related information. The institution needs this to verify your background before deciding whether to approve you as a visitor.

The form includes a criminal-penalty warning for false statements. It says lying can result in a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years under 18 U.S.C. § 1001. Bottom line: answer truthfully and completely. Don't guess, don't "clean up" details, and don't leave out information you think might look bad.

Once you submit your paperwork, the institution can do more than just read your answers. BP-A0629 explains that officials may contact law enforcement or crime information agencies to determine whether adding you to the visiting list would create a management problem for the facility.

That's why being on the list is only half the process. You still need to be cleared by the BOP before you can visit, and those background inquiries are part of how the institution decides whether to approve you.

Practical Tips

• ✓ Complete the questionnaire and the release form (both are required in the BP-A0629 packet)
• ✓ Return the completed packet to the institution address listed on the form
• ✓ Print clearly and double-check that your identifying details match your documents (for example, your name and driver’s license information)
• ✓ Don’t fill out the Spanish template page - it’s an instructional example only

Quick recap: inmates build their visiting list when they arrive at a new prison. Certain relatives - grandparents, uncles, aunts, in-laws, cousins - can be included, along with other approved visitors. Friends and associates are capped at 10.