Visiting Application and FAQ for Visiting a Colorado Inmate

One of the most beneficial sources for inmates success in prison is having visitors.  Visitors help the inmate maintain a connection with the outside world and often the people they most care about.  It is vital to an inmate's mental health to have periodic visits from their friends and family members.  But how do you go about visiting an inmate?  Here are some of the most important things you'll need to know before you visit an inmate in Colorado:

• Before you visit an inmate you must fill out a Colorado Inmate Visitors Application, and it must be approved.
• If you are bringing a minor (someone under the age of 18) you must fill out a Minor Child Visitors Application.  In addition, you must list the child on your adult visitor's application.
• If you are a one-time visitor or only visit once per year, you should not fill out the normal visitor's application, instead, you should fill out a Special Visitation Application.
• Once you have filled out the visitor's application you should mail it to the facility you are going to visit.  If it is a private prison it must be mailed to:
  • Private Prisons Monitoring Unit
    2862 South Circle Drive
    Colorado Springs, CO 80906
• If you are visiting Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry the visitor's application must be sent to:
  • Cheyenne Mountain Re-Entry
    2925 E. Las Vegas Street
    Colorado Springs, CO 80906
• Inmates are allowed up to 12 visitors on their approved list, children are not counted.
• If the inmate is transferred to a new facility the application must be filled out again for the new facility.
• If you do not visit your inmate for one year, you are placed on inactive status and you will need to resubmit a visitors application to visit again.
• All visitors must provide valid photo ID, this includes Drivers License, State ID, Passport, or Military ID.
• Anyone entering into visitation will be searched, any vehicles on the penitentiary property will also be searched.

Here is some additional information you should know when visiting your inmate in Colorado:

• When you first enter the facility you will need to register and complete a consent to search form which allows the facility to search you.  If you do not fill this out you will be denied visitation.
• Visitors may not bring any items other than a car key, ID and small bills, quarters for the vending machines.
• Cell phones, pagers, cameras, credit cards, prescriptions, books, cosmetics are all prohibited from being brought into the facility.
• If you have a wheelchair, cane or another device you may be required to exchange it temporarily for a prison-issued device for the duration of your visit.
• You may not bring tobacco or any tobacco-related product to visitation. 
• If you have a bandaged injury, cast etc, it will be searched.
• If you are visiting an inmate and have outstanding warrants you may be detained or denied visitation.
• If the visiting room becomes overcrowded or the line to enter visitation becomes long the staff will terminate visits in the order in which they started.
• Visits are a minimum of two hours.

Reasons your visit can be denied:

• The offender does not want you to visit.
• If you appear intoxicated.
• If you refuse to be searched.
• If you possess any items that are not allowed in the institution, this includes weapons, drugs, cell phones, cameras, etc.
• If you create a disturbance, or you fail to control your children during visitation you will be forced to leave.
• If you use foul language you will be ejected from visitation.
• If you commit a felony or have been incarcerated for a felony in the past 3 years you will be denied visitation.