Who Can Visit an Inmate at USP Atwater: Understanding the Approved Visitor List
Visiting at USP Atwater starts with one gatekeeping step: the person you want to see has to add you to their approved visitor list, and the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has to clear you. Here's how eligibility typically works, and what to do if you think you qualify but haven't been approved yet.
You can't just show up at USP Atwater on visiting day and expect to walk in. You have to be on the inmate's approved visiting list, and the BOP has to clear you before any visit can happen. If your name isn't on the list or your clearance isn't finished, staff will turn you away, no matter how far you traveled.
Note: Wait until the BOP has fully cleared you before planning a trip to USP Atwater. Being listed is not the same as being approved to visit.
Common Visitors
- ✓ Grandparents
- ✓ Uncles
- ✓ Aunts
- ✓ In-laws
- ✓ Cousins
Friends can be approved too, but there's a hard limit: an inmate may list no more than 10 friends or associates. That cap matters. If all 10 slots are filled, the inmate will need to remove someone before adding anyone new.
Beyond relatives and friends, the BOP recognizes several other visitor categories. These include foreign officials, religious group members (including clergy), civic group members, employers (former or prospective), sponsors, parole advisors, and attorneys. If you fall into one of these roles, make that clear when the inmate submits the request. The prison evaluates each visitor for suitability and security, so specifying your role up front can help.
Attorneys and clergy are two visitor types people ask about frequently. Both are recognized categories, but the basic requirement still applies at USP Atwater: the inmate has to place you on their visiting list, and you need BOP clearance before you can visit.
Note: Not every visitor type follows the same process. If you're visiting as an attorney, clergy member, or another special category, check the current guidance and confirm with the inmate whether any extra steps are needed.
- Ask the inmate to start the request. The inmate must request the Visitor Information form and send it to you.
- Complete the questionnaire and release. Fill out the Visitor Information questionnaire/release form completely.
- Return it to the institution address. Send the completed paperwork back to the institution address shown on the form so it can be processed.
- Wait for BOP clearance before planning a visit. Do not make travel plans until you have been cleared.
Tip: If time passes and you haven't heard anything, follow up to confirm the institution received your completed form. Make sure clearance is finished before you try to schedule travel.
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