HMP Cardiff

The booking lines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm Find out about call charges

You can arrange to visit a new prisoner in their first days in custody.

To arrange an ‘early days in custody’ visit, call 0300 303 2301.

These visits take place during the normal visit times.

Visit requirements

• Prisoners must apply to add their visitors names and contact details the system before you can book.
• These visits do not apply to prisoners transferring from another prison, if they have already been receiving visits.

Prisoners must apply to add their visitors names and contact details the system before you can book.

These visits do not apply to prisoners transferring from another prison, if they have already been receiving visits.

The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm.

Find out about call charges.

The booking line is open Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm.

Find out about call charges

Solicitors/legal teams or any professional visitors may bring paperwork into the prison, this will be subject to the standard security checks.

All paperwork must be taken back out of the prison with the visitor. Any legal paperwork for a prisoner must be posted into the prison and cannot be handed over to the prisoner during the visit.

Find Cardiff Prison on a map

Cardiff Prison is about a mile from Cardiff Central station and next to Cardiff Queen Street station.

There is no visitor parking but there is an NCP multi-story car park directly opposite the prison. The road outside the prison also allows Blue Badge holders to make short stops.

All visitors, aged 16 or older must prove their identity before entering the prison. Read the list of acceptable forms of ID when visiting a prison.

All visitors, including children, will be given a rub-down search, supported by an archway metal detector or hand-held wand.

An X-Ray Scanner will be used for carried items.

Please be aware that mandatory ‘entry and exit,’ security procedures can cause delay.

You are advised to arrive at the prison 30 minutes before the start time of your visit.

On weekdays, visitors should report to the family visitors centre to check-in for their visit.

Please be aware exiting the prison may take some time.

Please consider these factors when making travel plans/arrangements. Entry and exit procedures are essential in protecting the public and maintaining a safe environment at HMP Cardiff.

This list is not exhaustive. Ask at the visitors centre if you have questions about appropriate dress.

Refreshments are available during your visit.

There are strict controls on what you can take into Cardiff Prison. You will have to leave most of the things you have with you in a locker or with security.

This includes pushchairs and car seats, which can be stored inside the entrance. Cardiff has pushchairs that can be borrowed while visiting.

You will be told the rules by an officer at the start of your visit. If you break the rules, your visit could be cancelled and you could be banned from visiting again.

You could face an unlimited fine and prison sentence if you attempt to bring prohibited items into the prison.

HMP Cardiff has a family visitors centre supervised by staff from Invisible Walls Family Services.

You can find it outside the prison, the first building on the right as you walk in.

The visitors centre is open Monday to Friday, 1pm to 4:15pm.

On weekdays, visitors should report to the family visitors centre to check-in for their visit.

(On a Saturday and Sunday all visitors only need to report to the main gate of the prison to be booked in for their visit.)

You will receive a booking-in card to take along with your ID to the main prison, once escorted there by staff.

There are free lockers available to lock away any valuables.

You must keep your ID with you to complete booking in at the front gate, where it will then be kept locked away. It can be collected once your visit has ended.

Invisible Walls provide the family services at HMP Cardiff. Advice and support is from the staff.

HMP Cardiff run 10 family visits a year, along with 10 baby groups sessions. Additional family interventions are completed when required.

You will need to download and install the free Prison Video app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store (or equivalent app stores outside the UK) on your phone or tablet device and then create an account. Only people aged 18 or over can register for an account with Prison Video.

You will need to provide your name, address, and date of birth, and upload photos of your ID and face. You will also need to add details of any other people who wish to take part in the video calls with you, such as children, and upload a clear photo of each participant’s face.

You will need to upload ID for people over the age of 18 only, unless the prison specifically asks for anything else.

A user guide and other information is available at www.prisonersfamilies.org/prison-video.

You can request a secure video call with someone in this prison via the Prison Video app.

You will receive a notification when your request has been accepted.

Read more about how it works

Prisoners do not have phones in their cells so they will always have to call you. They have to buy phone credits to do this.

They can phone anyone named on their list of friends and family. This list is checked by security when they first arrive so it may take a few days before they are able to call.

You can also exchange voicemails using the Prison Voicemail service.

Officers may listen to phone calls as a way of preventing crime and helping keep people safe.

You can send emails to someone in Cardiff Prison using the Email a Prisoner service.

You might also be able to attach photos and receive replies, depending on the rules at Cardiff Prison.

You can write at any time.

Include the person’s name and prisoner number on the envelope.

If you do not know their prisoner number, contact Cardiff Prison.

All post, apart from legal letters, will be opened and checked by officers.

National Prison Radio broadcasts into prison cells across England and Wales 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Family and friends can stay connected with their loved ones in prison by sending song requests, written messages and voice recordings. They are then read and played out on weekly episodes.

You can send in a message, and hear the show, at nationalprisonradio.com