How to Visit Someone at North Kern State Prison

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. At a reception center like North Kern, this can take longer than usual because staff are also processing a large, fast-moving intake population.

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 North Kern

Send the completed form to North Kern State Prison, Attention Visiting Department, P.O. Box 567, Delano, CA 93216. Do not write the inmate’s information on the outside of the envelope, since that can route your application to the person instead of the Visiting Department and delay processing.

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 visit date and time through CDCR’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) at cdcr.gtlvisitme.com/app. The scheduling window opens the Thursday before the week you intend to visit at 6:30am and closes the following Tuesday at 6:00am. Call (661) 721-2345 to confirm hours before you travel.

North Kern’s Visiting Hours

• Friday: 11:30am to 5:30pm
• Saturday: 8:30am to 2:30pm
• Sunday: 8:30am to 2:30pm

End-of-visit times differ slightly between the reception center and the A and M yards, so build in a buffer and confirm with the institution if you’re arriving late in the day.

Walk-In Visits

North Kern accepts walk-in visits at separate hours: Friday 12:30pm to 4:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9:30am to 2:00pm. Walk-in space isn’t guaranteed, so a scheduled VSA visit is more reliable if you’re traveling a long distance.

Visitor Limits by Yard

The number of visitors allowed at one time depends on the housing unit. Facility A and Facility M allow up to 5 visitors including children, while Facility B and Facility D allow up to 3 including children. Confirm the person’s current yard on CIRIS so you know how many people can come.

Family Visiting

North Kern offers extended Family Visiting for eligible incarcerated people and their immediate family, with its own list of authorized property and infant-care items. Family Visiting is arranged separately from regular visiting, so contact the institution to ask about eligibility, scheduling, and what you can bring.

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. A certified copy of the child’s birth certificate must be brought every time, even if the child has visited before. If a parent brings their own child, the birth certificate is enough. If someone other than the legal parent or guardian brings the child, you also need a notarized Minor Consent Form, with the notary stamp on the form itself, renewed each calendar year.

Dress Code

CDCR’s attire rules apply at North Kern. Avoid anything resembling state-issued inmate clothing (blue denim or chambray), anything resembling staff colors (tan shirt with green pants), orange tops or bottoms, camouflage, and clothing with professional sports logos. Also avoid rips or holes in jeans, crop tops or bare midriffs, strapless or sheer clothing, and skirts, dresses, or shorts more than two inches above the knee. Underwire is not permitted, undergarments must be worn, and leggings are allowed only if a top or dress covers the buttocks and genital area. Children under 36 inches tall are exempt from the color and material rules but still clear the metal detector.

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. Prohibited items include phones and smart devices, non-clear bags or purses, sunglasses unless prescribed, hats and gloves without approval, and hair accessories with metal. If an officer says your outfit isn’t acceptable and you believe it complies, you can ask to speak with the Visiting Sergeant or Lieutenant, who has the final say.

Video Visiting

North Kern no longer offers video visits, including the Sunday video slots it previously ran. Contact between visits is by free phone calls and by mail, plus any messaging available through the person’s tablet.