What to Pack for Your Extended Family Visit (EFV) at WCCW — allowable items checklist
Packing for an Extended Family Visit at Washington Corrections Center for Women comes down to packaging and timing. Follow these rules to avoid having food or medical items turned away at the door.
Packaging matters more than what's inside. All food must be in transparent or semi-transparent containers - factory-sealed or store-sealed. Staff will search everything in front of you, so keep items easy to open and repack. Build in extra time at check-in for this step.
Tip: Frozen food needs to be something that can be scanned through X-ray, so keep it in simple, scan-friendly packaging and avoid over-wrapping.
Do all your chopping at home. Fruits and vegetables must be pre-cut and bagged - no kitchen knives are provided in the EFV unit, and you can't bring any in. Portion produce exactly how you plan to serve it. Otherwise, you'll be stuck tearing or breaking things apart inside.
- ✓ Disposable, soft plastic utensils (pack enough for your group)
- ✓ No knives or other cutting tools (do your prep at home)
Each visitor gets one bag - suitcase, backpack, or duffel. It has to fit through the X-ray machine, so skip oversized luggage. Overstuff it and you might end up repacking on the spot while everyone waits.
Pack clothing and hygiene supplies with screening in mind. Keep everything organized in your one allowed bag. Unopened, original packaging clears faster - so bring items that way when you can.
Need medication during your visit? Don't wait. Each visitor must submit a completed Visitor Medication Questionnaire at least two weeks before the EFV. Miss this deadline and you may not be able to bring necessary medication or medical equipment on visit day.
Reminder: Bring what you need to match the paperwork you submitted (for example, prescription details/labels), and keep a copy of your completed questionnaire for your records.
Once your EFV starts, you stay put. Visitors remain in the EFV unit for the entire visit, and groups must stay at least 6 feet apart from other EFV families. Think of it as a closed space for your group only - pack everything you'll need inside that boundary.
Printable Checklist
- ✓ Food in transparent or semi-transparent, factory-sealed or store-sealed packaging
- ✓ Expect your food to be searched in your presence (pack so it’s easy to open and re-pack)
- ✓ Fruits/vegetables pre-cut at home and portioned into baggies (no knives provided/allowed)
- ✓ One suitcase, backpack, or duffel bag per visitor that fits through the X-ray/scanning machine
- ✓ Visitor Medication Questionnaire submitted at least 2 weeks before the scheduled EFV (if you need to bring medication)
- ✓ Any medication-related paperwork details you’ll want on hand to match what you submitted
Quick reminders: Food is searched in your presence, and frozen items need to be scan-able through X-ray. Keep utensils disposable and soft plastic, and do all cutting at home.
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