Prison Visits

The Department of Corrections (DOC) recognizes the vital role families play in the reentry process, and will support incarcerated individuals in maintaining ties with family, friends, and the community through personal visits and engagement with community stakeholders and partners. Reasonable efforts will be made to ensure visiting facilities are comfortable, pleasant, and permits informal communication and limited, appropriate physical contact.

• General Visit Information
  • Visitor Application Process
  • Visitor Guidelines
• Family & Friends
  • Approved Visitors List
  • Minor Visitors
  • International Visitors
  • Extended Family Visits
• Professionals

General Visit Information

Visitor Application Process

All visitors must complete and submit a visitor application. A separate application must be completed for each proposed visitor (minor or adult). It is recommended that applicants have all required documentation ready and available prior to filling out the online application to ensure successful completion and submission. The Department only accepts Electronic Visit Applications for prison visits at this time.

See Family & Friends and Professionals for information that may be applicable to your visit. All visitation policies and forms can be found on the Resources webpage. See Prison Visits Frequently Asked Questions for more information about visiting a prison facility.

Visitor Guidelines

DOC 450.300 Visits for Incarcerated Individuals (pdf) is applicable to all types of prison visits. Please note visitors whom are 18 years of age and older must present a valid, current photo identification at the time of the visit (i.e., driver's license or state issued identification card, international visitors must present their passport).

The following applies to in-person visitation:

• Visits occur on a first come, first served basis. If the visit room is full, visitors may be turned away. Facility visit guidelines identify the process utilized by the facility to allow for other visitors to be afforded visit privileges. Please review the appropriate facility visitor guidelines for more information.
• Facility emergencies may affect operations. These are unforeseen and visiting may be cancelled or end early without advanced notice. Visitors are urged to check the prison facility alerts & notices and to check with the facility prior to traveling.
• For the safety of yourself and your loved ones, all persons are subject to search per DOC 420.340 Searching and Detaining Facility Visitors (pdf).
• To protect your loved one and other individuals in the facility, please stay home if you are sick.
• Visit rooms, tables, chairs, restrooms and high-touch surface areas will be sanitized between visit sessions.

Facility Specific Information

Each facility has its own specific visitor guidelines, visiting hours, and event calendars, which can be accessed in the table below.

Prison Facility Visitor Guidelines, Visiting Hours & Event Calendars

Prison Facility	Visitor GuidelinesGuide- lines	Visiting Hours	Event Calendars
Airway Heights Corrections Center	AHCC Guidelines (pdf)	AHCC Hours	AHCC Calendar (pdf)
Cedar Creek Corrections Center	CCCC Guidelines (pdf)	CCCC Hours	CCCC Calendar (pdf)
Clallam Bay Corrections Center	CBCC Guidelines (pdf)	CBCC Hours	CBCC Guidelines (pdf)
Coyote Ridge Corrections Center	CRCC Guidelines (pdf)	CRCC Hours	CRCC Calendar (pdf)
Mission Creek Corrections Center for Women	MCCCW Guidelines (pdf)	MCCCW Hours	MCCCW Calendar (pdf)
Monroe Correctional Complex	MCC Guidelines (pdf)	MCC Hours	MCC Calendar (pdf)
Olympic Corrections Center	OCC Guidelines (pdf)	OCC Hours	OCC Calendar (pdf)
Stafford Creek Corrections Center	SCCC Guidelines (pdf)	SCCC Hours	SCCC Calendar (pdf)
Washington Corrections Center	WCC Guidelines (pdf)	WCC Hours	WCC Calendar (pdf)
Washington Corrections Center for Women	WCCW Guidelines (pdf)	WCCW Hours	WCCW Calendar (pdf)
Washington State Penitentiary	WSP Guidelines (pdf)	WSP Hours	WSP Calendar (pdf)

Restrictive Housing Visiting

Restricted housing will follow DOC 320.255 Restrictive Housing (pdf) policy for scheduling, hours, and will remain non-contact according to Restrictive Housing Level System Grid (Attachment 2) (pdf).

Special Visits

Per DOC 450.300 Visits for Incarcerated Individuals (pdf), the process for specials visits is at the discretion of the facility superintendent. Special visits may be requested utilizing the DOC 21-787 Special Visit Request (pdf) form.

Visitor Behavioral Observations

Per DOC 450.300 (pdf), a record of each visit is entered into the statewide visit system. Visitor behavior observed by Department of Corrections’ staff may be electronically documented. Visitors may request a copy of behavior observation entries from their visitor profile in the statewide visit system via public records request.

Family & Friends

Approved Visitor's List

The visitor application approval process must be completed before an individual is placed on an incarcerated individual's Approved Visitor List.

• Individuals may only be on one incarcerated individual's Approved Visitor List, with one exception.
• When an incarcerated individual is transferred to another prison facility, his/her Approved Visitor List will remain and be available in the Statewide Visit System. Incarcerated individuals are responsible for notifying their visitors of transfers.
• Individuals denied placement on an incarcerated individual's Approved Visitor List will be informed, in writing, of the reason for denial.
• Incarcerated individuals may remove a visitor from their Approved Visitor List, or request to resume visits with the removed visitor. Visitors must submit a new application if they have been removed.
• If an individual wishes to be removed from an Approved Visitor List, they must submit their request in writing to the Statewide Visit Unit.
• A request to be removed from an incarcerated individual’s Approved Visitor’s List must be submitted prior to applying to visit another incarcerated individual. Please note, if you do not request to be removed prior to your new application being processed, you will be required to resubmit your application. This will restart the application processing time.
• An individual removed from an Approved Visitor List must wait 90 calendar days before applying to visit the same or another incarcerated individual. When the visitor is requesting to visit a different incarcerated individual, the waiting period may be waived if the visitor never visited with the individual whose list they were removed from or if they have not visited in the last 90 days. If the visitor wishes to be added back to the visit list of the same incarcerated individual, the 90 day wait will not be waived.

See DOC 450.300 Visits for Incarcerated Individuals and the Prison Visits Frequently Asked Questions webpage for more information regarding the Approved Visitor's List.

Minor Visitors

Minors are those individuals who are under 18 years of age. The following are required for all minors who will be visiting an incarcerated individual at a Department of Corrections (DOC) prison facility:

• Minors must be on the incarcerated individual's Approved Visitor List.
• Minors must be accompanied during the entire visit by their non-incarcerated parent/legal guardian, or a designated escort.
• A copy of DOC 20-441 Parental/Guardian Consent for Minor Visit And/Or Escort form must be completed (to include notarization) and attached to the minor's online visitor application (valid attachments include Adobe PDFs, image files, etc.). The DOC 20-441 is required even if the child's parent submits the minor visitor application.

The following may also apply depending on the nature of the minor's visit:

• If the minor is an infant or toddler, see the visitor's guidelines of the prison facility you will be visiting for information about what items are authorized.

See DOC 450.300 Visits for Incarcerated Individuals and the Prison Visits Asked Questions webpage for more information regarding minor visits.

International Visitors

International visitors must provide a copy of their passport photo page and a copy of their criminal history from their local jurisdiction, or a certificate of criminal records from the local jurisdiction that outlines all criminal history, or if there is no criminal history (misdemeanor or felony).

Extended Family Visits

Per DOC 590.100 Extended Family Visiting (pdf), the Extended Family Visit (EFV) Program is for visits in prison facilities between eligible incarcerated individuals and his/her immediate family member(s) in a private housing unit. EFVs are intended to support building sustainable relationships important to incarcerated individual reentry, as well as provide incentive for those serving long-term sentences to engage in positive behavioral choices, therefore reducing violent infractions.

Extended Family Visiting (EFV) processing is a lengthy process. While we try to process as quickly as possible, please be patient. Applications may be submitted no more than one time annually and may take in excess of 12 weeks to process. For more information refer to DOC 590.100 Extended Family Visiting (pdf) and the EFV Resource Guide (pdf) (EFV Resource Guide - Spanish (pdf)).

The requirements for EFV visitors that must be met include:

• The visitors must be immediate family members who can provide legal verification of the relationship.
• All EFV participants require Superintendent/designee approval.
• If the incarcerated individual is incarcerated on a serious violent or sex offense, the EFV Review Committee must review and authorize EFV privileges.
• In addition to the forms listed, there are several criteria that must be met for family, minors and incarcerated individual to be eligible for an Extended Family Visit. Please note the EFV application process can be lengthy, and additional documentation may be requested.
• Visitors will submit applicable paperwork and documents by sending them to the address below.

Department of Corrections
Attn: EFV Application
Post Office Box 41118
Olympia, WA 98504-1118

• DOC 21-415 Extended Family Visiting Visitor Acknowledgment (English)
• DOC 21-415 Reconocimiento del Visitante para la Visita Familiar Extendida (Spanish)
• DOC 20-441 Parental/Guardian Consent for Minor Visit And/Or Escort
• Each individual visitor must also complete the Consent to Medical Treatment and Waiver of Liability form.
• DOC 20-279 Consent to Medical Treatment & Waiver of Liability (English)
• DOC 20-279 Consentimiento Para El Tratamiento Medico & Renuncia De Responsabilidad (Spanish)
• If you are approved and scheduled for an EFV, each visitor must submit a completed Visitor Medication Questionnaire form. The completed form must be sent to the attention facility EFV staff a minimum of two weeks prior to the scheduled visit.
  • DOC 14-213 Visitor Medication and Durable Medical Equipment (English)
• An orientation will be scheduled before your first EFV at the facility.
• Each facility handles the scheduling of EFVs.
  • Please contact your incarcerated family member to initiate the EFV scheduling process.
  • If you are an approved EFV visitor and have any questions about EFV’s contact facility visit staff.
• Please limit the items you need to only those necessary for the visit. This will help expedite the check-in process.
  • Visitors may only bring items that are identified on the EFV Resource Guide.
• All policy requirements are applicable. Please take the time to review DOC 590.100 Extended Family Visiting (pdf).
• Individuals from one EFV group may not be within 6 feet of EFV participants from other groups within the EFV area.
• Individuals participating in an EFV will not leave the EFV unit area for the duration of the EFV.
  • If the incarcerated individual participating in the EFV is on medication/s via pill line, these medications will be brought to the EFV unit to be taken.
  • If a visitor is on controlled medication/s held by the facility, this medication will be brought to the EFV unit for the visitor to take them.

See Prison Visits Frequently Asked Questions and DOC 590.100 Extended Family Visiting (pdf) for more information.

Professionals

Professional visitors are processed at the prison facility where the incarcerated individual is housed.

The Department has established expectations for professional visitors, guests and groups who visit/tour Department facilities and offices. These guidelines align with DOC 150.150 (pdf), DOC 450.300 (pdf), and DOC 590.500 (pdf), along with facility rules. A professional visitor must be credentialed, licensed, and working in a professional capacity.

• Proof of valid certification/licensure and other applicable documentation must be provided upon request or access may be denied.

NCIC clearance is required, professional visitors must meet DOC 450.300a1 Eligibility Requirements for Visitors (pdf).

Professional visitors include:

• Attorneys
• DOC 400-GU003 Attorney Communication with Individuals Incarcerated at DOC (pdf)
• Licensed Investigators
• Clergy (When the professional relationship was established prior to the period of incarceration)
• If the relationship was established post-incarceration, the clergy member should apply to be on the incarcerated individual’s Visit List.
• Licensed Professionals administering assessments (e.g. Psychological Polygraph and Mental Health evaluations)
• Professionals who are NOT escorting a child to visit.
• Social workers/professional visit supervisors who WILL be escorting a child to visit an incarcerated individual must follow the visit application process as identified in DOC Policy 450.300 (pdf). Minors may only participate in visiting opportunities if approved and on the individual’s visit list.
• Social Services Agency Representatives
  (except those identified as a visit supervisor for a minor visiting an incarcerated parent)

Tribal/other government officials.

Certified victim advocate.

Other credentialed professionals as authorized by the facility Superintendent/designee

Professional visitors should contact the prison facility Legal Liaisons to coordinate their visit. See Prison & Video Frequently Asked Questions for more information.

Media Personnel

If media personnel would like to visit with a specific incarcerated individual, they must complete the same application process as all visitors. If media personnel would like to conduct interviews for a story or tour a prison facility, the Public Information Officer may coordinate the request.