I will be getting married real soon and Idaho has a strict visiting policy when it comes to children. I have done a lot of checking into step kids visiting and I wanted to share what I have learned with everyone else. I know that I cant be the only one in this situation.

In Idaho the child must be related by blood or marriage to the inmate. If the child is a step child the policy says they need a written and noterized permission letter from the natural parent not married to the inmate. For some people that is a problem. I contacted the DOC and they first pretty much told me that if the absent parent cant be located then tuff luck. There are some fathers that run from the system and even child support cant locate them. My first thought was why should the children suffer, but I had come to terms with their rules and as painful as it was I was gonna let it go.

UNTIL I got an email today from a ISCI Sgt.

We will require applications for all of you, original birth certificates on the minors and as you already know, permission from both biological parents. If one of the parents legal rights have been terminated, we will accept a copy of the court order stating so. In some cases when one of the biological parents can't be located we will accept a letter from Health and Welfare stating that the parent can't be located. Please contact your case worker and ask them to write or email me a letter stating that they have tried to locate the father and can't, and also for how long they have been searching.

Thank You,
Sgt.


So for anyone who is told that your kids cant visit because you dont have a letter from the natural parent dont give up. I was ready to accept what the DOC main office told me. I even explained the situation to the person that first told me there are no exceptions.