Rikers Island West Visitation Center

NYC DOC - Rikers Island - West Detention Center (WF) - Visitation

Visit an Inmate - Facility Locations

• Visitors will be subject to passive canine searches when arriving to the Rikers Island Visit Control Building or the Borough facilities, or any other facility including the Hospital Prison Wards.
• All visitors 16 years of age and older must present valid current identification that contains a photograph and signature. Acceptable forms of identification for all visitors are listed below.
• Children under the age of 16 who are accompanied by an adult over 18 are not required to present any identification at all.
• A 16-year-old or 17-year old with valid identification may accompany a child under the age of 16 if he or she is the parent of that child and the inmate being visited is also the parent of the same child. In this case, the 16- or 17-year-old must produce a birth certificate for the child under the age of 16.

Acceptable Forms of Identification
From any state or territory in the U.S.:
• Current driver’s license
• A valid Employment ID card with photo AND most recent employment paycheck/stub
• DMV Non-driver license identification card
Other Acceptable Forms of Identification

• Resident alien or a permanent resident card issued by the U.S. Department of Justice
• Passport (from any country)
• NYS benefits identification card (Medicaid/food stamp photo ID)
• U.S. Armed Services identification
• Consulate-issued or diplomatic identification
• IDNYC card

If you have any questions while at a facility, please ask a Correction Officer or Supervisor
Visit Schedule - Last year, nearly 100,000 New Yorkers were remanded to the New York City Department of Correction and on an average day, about 13,500 people are detained in our facilities. Most of them stay here on Rikers Island, where we also host as many as 1,500 visitors daily. We recognize how important it is for inmates and their families and friends to maintain contact with one another. We want your visits to be as pleasant as possible, so we are working to speed up the visit process, strengthen security, improve the Central Control Visit Building and provide information to help you plan your visits.
Our mission at every location is to ensure the humane care, custody and control of everyone who is in a New York City jail and to support them in their preparation for release. We offer a variety of programs and services in each of our facilities and partner with other city agencies and non-governmental organizations to sustain their successful transition back into our community.
We are committed to the safety and well-being of all New Yorkers and urge you to encourage those who you visit to take advantage of these opportunities. Enjoy your visit!
New York City Department of Correction
Visit Schedule - Registration and Visit Hours

• There are no visits on Mondays and Tuesdays
• Wednesday and Thursday

Registration hours for all facilities on Rikers Island as well as for the Brooklyn Detention Complex in downtown Brooklyn, the Manhattan Detention Complex in downtown Manhattan and the Vernon C. Bain Center in the Bronx on Wednesdays and Thursdays are from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Visits are permitted from 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., but visitors must register by 8:00 p.m.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
Registration hours for the above facilities on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays are from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Visits will begin no earlier than 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:00 p.m., but visitors must register by 2:00 p.m. (Please note: the start of visiting hours can be delayed due to unforeseen circumstances.)
Number of Visits and Visitors - Inmates are permitted to visit with up to three (3) visitors at the same time, with the maximum number to be determined by conditions set forth in each facility, availability of space and volume of visitors/inmates. Detainees may receive visits three (3) times per week. Sentenced inmates may receive visits two (2) times per week. All inmates are limited to one (1) visit session per visit day, regardless of the number of visitors in that session.
Visitors' Dress Code
To provide for the safety and security of Department staff, inmates and visitors and to maintain a family-friendly environment, visitors must wear appropriate clothing to visit inmates. Overly suggestive clothing and clothing in which contraband and non-permissible items can be hidden are not permitted. When meeting with an inmate, visitors may only wear a single layer of clothing (except those visitors required to wear a cover-up garment) and NO ACCESSORIES.
Visitors WILL NOT be permitted onto the visit floor of jail if they are wearing any of the following:

• Clothing with holes or rips that are located more than three inches above the knee
• Hooded garments
• Hats and head coverings (excluding religious head coverings)
• Clothing identifying a specific gang by name or logo
• Clothing that makes explicit reference to obscene language, drugs, sex or violence
• Swimming attire
• See-through garments
• Uniforms
• Jewelry (excluding a wedding ring and one religious medal no more than two inches in diameter hung on chain of one quarter-inch or less in diameter and no longer than 24 inches
• Tops, including dresses, which expose the chest, stomach or back
• Shorts, skirts or dresses the hem of which is more than three inches above the knee
• Spandex leggings unless covered by tops, shorts, skirts or dresses the hem of which is no more than three inches above the knee
• Outer garments including coats, shawls, ponchos, jackets, vests, gloves, or over-boots or overshoes (outer boots or shoes that slip over other shoes)
• Visitors must wear undergarments.

Visitors whose attire violates the dress code will be permitted a contact visit if they agree to wear a cover-up garment provided by the Department. Visitors who refuse to wear a cover-up garment provided by the Department will be denied a visit.

Visit an Inmate

1. Visitors will be subject to passive canine searches when arriving to the Rikers Island Visit Control Building or the Borough facilities, or any other facility including the Hospital Prison Wards.
2. All visitors 16 years of age and older must present valid current identification that contains a photograph and signature. Acceptable forms of identification for all visitors are listed below.
3. Children under the age of 16 who are accompanied by an adult over 18 are not required to present any identification at all.
4. A 16-year-old or 17-year old with valid identification may accompany a child under the age of 16 if he or she is the parent of that child and the inmate being visited is also the parent of the same child. In this case, the 16- or 17-year-old must produce a birth certificate for the child under the age of 16.

Acceptable Forms of Identification

From any state or territory in the U.S.:

• Current drivers license
• Valid Employment ID card with photo AND most recent employment paycheck/stub
• DMV Non-driver license identification card

Other Acceptable Forms of Identification

• Resident alien or permanent resident card issued by the U.S. Department of Justice
• Passport (from any country)
• NYS benefits identification card (Medicaid/food stamp photo ID)
• U.S. Armed Services identification
• Consulate-issued or diplomatic identification
• IDNYC card

If you have any questions while at a facility, please ask a Correction Officer or Supervisor

Visiting with Children

We recommend that families with children under the age of 6 come at the following times:
2:00pm - 5:00pm on Wednesday and Thursday
7:00am - 10:30am Friday-Sunday
During these suggested times DOC staff will do their best to expedite families with small children through the line at the Benjamin Ward Visit Center. If you have a child under 6, please speak to the visit greeters located in the central visit area.
Strollers without electronic or GPS features are permitted to be brought into the facilities. If your stroller has electronic or GPS features, there is an area outside of the central visit area where you can secure your stroller. You must bring your own lock and chain in order for you to secure the stroller.
You are permitted to bring two clear plastic baby bottles, one baby blanket, one bib and diapers with you into the facilities. No glass containers will be permitted. On the visit floor you will only be permitted to bring 1 blanket, 1 plastic bottle and 1 baby bib. Extra diapers and all other items can be stowed in a locker at the visit waiting area at each facility.