Accompanied Child Visitor Policy

All children under the age of 16 accompanied by an NIH employee or contractor holding a valid NIH ID are allowed to enter the main campus through any employee or visitor entrance where a guard is present. The accompanied child or children will not undergo physical screening and will not have to enter via a visitor’s entrance.

The NIH Employee or Contractor with a valid NIH badge completes the ACVP form and gives it to the Officer or guard at the entrance and gets a visitor's pass for the child.

This simplified policy applies to children of employees and contractors arriving in vehicles and as pedestrians, except at stand-alone pedestrian portals where no guard is present.

An employee or contractor should, if possible, download and fill out the Accompanied Child Visitor Pass (ACVP) form  in advance of his/her visit. The completed form should be handed to the guard and visitor badges will be issued to all children accompanying the employee or contractor.

Helpful Hints

• Download blank ACVP forms  in advance
• Save time - keep extra copies in your vehicle or on your person
• If you forget the form, the guard will provide one at the entrance

As a reminder, if a child is under the age of 16, and does not have an ACVP, he/she is required to be accompanied by someone 18 years of age or older and must enter campus via a visitor's entrance or obtain, in advance of his/her visit, an Advance Accompanied Visitor's Pass (AAVP).  

The registration of children at the NIH is not a security matter, but rather a public safety issue. Registration allows the NIH to provide a degree of protection for the child in the event a child becomes lost or separated from the parent/guardian while on campus.

The NIH policy allows for easier access of children and dependents of NIH staff while maintaining a basic level of safety for everyone.