How to Visit Someone at California Institution for Women

Step 1. Get on the Approved Visitor List

Before you can schedule anything, the person you want to visit must request CDCR Form 106, the Visitor Questionnaire, and send it to you. They have to sign it themselves, confirming they agree to add you to their visitor list.

Step 2. Fill Out the Questionnaire Completely

The form asks for every arrest and conviction you’ve ever had, even ones that never led to charges. CDCR runs a background check against California’s law enforcement records system, and an unlisted arrest or conviction that turns up in that check is a common reason for denial. If you’re unsure of exact dates, give your best approximate answer instead of leaving it blank.

Step 3. Mail the Questionnaire to CIW

Send the completed form to the Visiting Sergeant or Lieutenant at California Institution for Women, using the institution’s staff mailing address, not the inmate mail address. Processing time varies by how many applications the institution is working through at a given time.

Step 4. Wait for Approval or Denial

If approved, both you and the incarcerated person are notified, and you’re added to the system as an approved visitor. You don’t need to carry proof of approval with you. If denied, you’ll get a letter explaining why. You can resubmit a corrected questionnaire, or appeal in writing to the Warden, and then to CDCR’s Division of Adult Institutions if you disagree with the outcome.

Step 5. Schedule Your Visit Through VSA

Once approved, book your actual visit date and time through CDCR’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) at cdcr.gtlvisitme.com/app. To schedule a Friday visit, the booking window opens Thursday at 6:00am and closes Sunday at 11:59pm. For Saturday, it opens Friday at 6:00am and closes Tuesday at 11:59pm. For Sunday, it opens Saturday at 6:00am and closes Wednesday at 11:59pm.

CIW’s Visiting Hours

In-person visiting runs Friday from 12:00pm to 6:45pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30am to 2:45pm. If you don’t have an appointment, walk-in visits are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis after every visitor with an appointment has been processed, but aren’t guaranteed. Walk-ins aren’t processed after 6:00pm on Fridays or 2:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Overnight Family Visiting

CIW’s Family Visiting custody coordinator contacts approved families directly to schedule overnight visits. Families check in on Fridays at 10:00am and check out on Mondays at 9:00am. Anyone housed in a quarantine or outbreak unit isn’t eligible for a family visit.

Money and Items You Can Bring

You can bring up to $100 per adult visitor and $50 per child, but only in quarters or one-dollar bills. Change machines in the visitor processing center accept $1, $5, $10, and $20 bills to break for coins. Other allowed items without prior approval include a small transparent bag, up to two keys on a ring, government photo ID, a non-metallic comb or brush, a small pack of tissues, prescription glasses, up to ten photos no larger than 8x10 inches, and up to ten pages of documents no larger than standard typing paper. Visitors bringing an infant or toddler can also bring specific baby items like formula, diapers, and a carrier, within CDCR’s published limits.

What to Bring

Every adult visitor needs valid, unexpired photo ID: a driver’s license from any state, a state DMV ID card, a military ID, an ICE identification card, a US or foreign passport, or a Mexican Consulate photo ID. You don’t need to bring proof of your visitor approval since it’s tracked electronically.

Bringing Children

Minors under 18 must be accompanied by an approved adult visitor. If a parent brings their own child, you only need a certified copy of the child’s birth certificate. If a legal guardian brings the child, bring the birth certificate plus proof of guardianship. If someone other than a parent or legal guardian brings the child, you additionally need a notarized written consent form signed by the parent or guardian, naming the incarcerated person, the adult authorized to bring the child, and the visit dates. This consent form has to be renewed every year.

Dress Code

CIW posts four general rules for attire: don’t wear anything that resembles what incarcerated people wear, don’t wear anything that resembles staff uniforms, dress conservatively and modestly, and don’t wear anything metal that won’t clear a detector, like an underwire bra. Specific prohibitions at CIW include strapless, halter, bare midriff, sheer, or transparent clothing, plain white or gray t-shirts, any camouflage pattern, any bandana pattern, and hooded sweatshirts or tops. Skirts, dresses, or shorts can’t expose more than two inches above the knee, front or back. Nothing can expose the breast, genitals, or buttocks, and tight, form-fitting clothing isn’t allowed. Wigs, hairpieces, hats, and gloves need prior approval except for medical reasons. Shower shoes aren’t allowed either. Jewelry and piercings often trigger the metal detector, so visitors wearing a lot of it may be asked to leave it in the car.

What’s Not Allowed

Visitors can be turned away for clothing that doesn’t meet the dress code, for being under the influence, or for bringing prohibited items into the visiting area. If an officer says your outfit isn’t acceptable and you believe it complies with the rules, you can ask to speak with the Visiting Sergeant or Lieutenant, who has the final say. Many CDCR institutions run a Visitor Center that lends clean, appropriate clothing if yours is rejected, though funding for these centers isn’t always consistent, so it’s smart to keep a backup outfit in your car.

Emergency and Hardship Visits

If you’re traveling more than 250 miles and haven’t been approved yet, CIW staff may allow an emergency or hardship visit at their discretion. This isn’t guaranteed, so plan ahead and submit your Form 106 well before any trip that includes a visit.