Getting Approved to Visit: What the Bureau checks before you can see your loved one
Getting approved to visit in the federal system starts with paperwork, then moves into identity and background checks. Once you understand what the Bureau of Prisons is verifying—and what they keep on file—you can avoid delays and surprises.
The process starts inside the facility. Your loved one requests a Visitor Information form and sends it to you (and anyone else who wants to visit). You fill it out and submit it back so staff can run a background investigation and decide whether you're suitable to enter. This information also helps with basic safety - staff use it to track who's on-site and account for visitors during emergencies.
Once your information is submitted, the Bureau runs a background check through its visitor tracking system. At minimum, they perform an NCIC check to validate what you provided. In plain terms: they're comparing your details against law enforcement databases to confirm your identity and determine whether you can be approved.
This screening connects to the system the Bureau uses to control who enters and exits its facilities. The ACES/Web Visiting (WebV) system logs and tracks everyone who comes and goes - staff, contractors, approved volunteers, and visitors. That tracking supports daily security, helps staff account for people during emergencies, and creates records to prevent problems like contraband.
When you're approved (or being processed), WebV stores specific details about you. The fields include your name, relationship to the inmate, date of birth, sex, race, and ethnicity. It also captures key identification numbers - driver's license or state ID, passport, or alien registration number - plus your legal residence, phone number, and approval date.
ACES can also retrieve and store additional identification data. That may include your name and residence again, plus a Social Security number, digital image, and fingerprint, along with alien registration, driver's license, and passport numbers. The takeaway: the Bureau isn't just checking one detail. They're building an identification record that can be matched against your ID at the gate.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Fill out the Visitor Information form completely and legibly; missing or unreadable fields can slow down review.
- ✓ Use your full legal name and double-check your date of birth so it matches your government ID.
- ✓ Enter ID numbers carefully (driver’s license/state ID, passport number, alien registration number if you have one); a single digit off can trigger a mismatch during validation.
- ✓ If staff ask for clarification or corrected information, respond quickly so the background check can move forward.
- Ask what didn’t match - Contact the facility and ask which specific field (name, date of birth, ID number, address, etc.) failed validation during the background check.
- Provide corrected documentation - Submit the exact information they request, using the identifying details they store and compare (for example, driver’s license/passport/alien registration details).
- Confirm the update and next step - Ask whether the record has been updated in their system and what the next step is (re-check, resubmission, or other instructions).
- Keep a simple log - Write down dates, the office or staff member you spoke with, and what you were told, so you can follow up consistently if the issue isn’t resolved.
Find an Inmate at Sandstone FCI
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
