A practical family guide

Self-Surrender Checklist

Organize the details in a federal surrender notice, prepare for arrival, and gather questions your family may have during the first week.

Every case and institution is different. The written instructions for the person’s case and the receiving institution’s current rules control. Use this checklist to keep track of what to confirm; it is not a packing list or a substitute for those instructions.

Before surrender

Start with the written court or U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) instructions. A person may be directed to report to a named institution or to USMS; the notice gives the instructions for that case.

Write down the details from the notice

Exact surrender dateExact report timeReport to: institution or USMS, as writtenReceiving institution, if namedOfficial institution phone number, if applicableTravel and family contact plan

Copy the date, time, and reporting destination exactly from the written instructions.
Check whether the instructions say to report to the institution or to USMS; do not assume one if the notice is unclear.
Confirm transportation, who is traveling, and how family members will stay in touch before and after the report.
Ask the receiving institution about its current property rules and how it wants health information handled. Do not rely on a universal packing list.

BOP source: Voluntary Surrenders — reporting destination and property guidance BOP source: Entering Prison — admission, orientation, and property rules

At arrival

Follow the exact reporting instructions. If the instructions change or cannot be followed, contact the attorney and the court, USMS, or supervision contact named in those instructions.

Report to the named place at the instructed time and follow directions from the responsible staff.
Tell staff promptly about urgent medical or mental-health needs and ask how to provide relevant health information.
Know that admission includes screening and an Admission and Orientation (A&O) process introducing the institution’s programs, services, policies, and procedures.

Screening, orientation, property permissions, phone access, and later movement are handled by the institution. This checklist cannot predict their timing or outcome.

BOP source: Entering Prison — admission, orientation, and property rules BOP source: Medical Care — BOP health services

During the first week: questions families may have

The first few days can involve many unknowns. Facility procedures and timing vary, so use current instructions from the institution and the official BOP pages below.

BOP register number, once available

Use the BOP Inmate Locator to check location information; if there is no result, follow the written instructions and contact the named authority or institution.
Ask how the local visiting-list and approval process works, then confirm the institution’s current visiting schedule before making plans.
Review current phone, electronic-message, and mail rules; do not assume immediate access or a specific first-contact date.
Wait until the person has physically arrived at a BOP-managed facility before sending a deposit, as BOP instructs.

Questions families may have

How can I check where they are?: Use the case contact if the locator does not show a result: Search the BOP Inmate Locator for location and registration information. If the person does not appear, do not treat that alone as a change to the reporting instructions; use the contact named in the notice or ask the institution for direction.
How do the visiting list and schedule work?: Facility approval and schedules vary: BOP says a person must be on the inmate’s visiting list and cleared before visiting. Ask the institution about its current steps, local visiting days and hours, and rules before traveling. Approval and schedules vary by facility.
When can we call, message, or write?: Access and timing vary by person and facility: BOP describes telephone calls, electronic messages through TRULINCS, and written mail. Access, setup, and restrictions depend on the person and facility; review the current BOP and institution instructions rather than expecting immediate contact.
When and how can family send money?: Follow current BOP and facility deposit rules: BOP instructs families to wait until the person has physically arrived at a BOP-managed facility. After that, follow the current deposit options and required identifying information on the BOP page and any facility instructions.