Visitation Rules & Information

How to Visit

1. Identify the person you would like to visit and their facility by utilizing the search tool.

2. Ensure you are on the incarcerated individual's approved visitation list by writing them a letter. IDOC staff cannot verify whether you are on the individual's list.
   

3. Schedule your visit

   online

   .

4. The sign up system will timeout if there is no activity for 30 minutes. If you start to sign up, you must complete the sign up within 30 minutes.

5. Arrive at the facility at least 10 minutes prior to your scheduled visit time.
   

View at SignUpGenius.com

What to Expect

• Upon arrival, visitors must call the facility for guidance. Staff will advise when it is safe to enter.
  
• Adult visitors are required to bring two forms of identification (one must be a state issued photo ID) and provide vehicle information.
• For identification purposes, visitors may be asked to briefly lower their face coverings when entering and exiting the facility.
• All visitors will undergo a COVID-19 symptom and temperature screening.
• The facility is providing all visitors over the age of two with a surgical mask.

Important Rules

• Electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets, and smart watches, food, drink, smoking materials, currency, packages, purses, bags, books, magazines, sunglasses, or personal keys are not permitted inside the Visiting Room. Visitors may place personal items in small lockers available in the Visiting Center.
• Except for heart medication or asthma pump (inhaler) prescribed by a physician, no pills or medication of any type is permitted in the Visiting Room. Heart medication must be in a properly labeled container. 
• Clothing must be in good taste and not advertise or suggest any items in such a manner to signify a Security Threat Group or other illegal activity. Visitors should not wear clothing that is sexually explicit, offensive, or degrading.
• All persons, vehicles and items brought onto State property are subject to search.
• In accordance with

  Illinois Administrative Code

  , the facility's chief administrative officer may deny, suspend, or restrict visiting privileges based, among other matters, upon the following: security and safety requirements; space availability; disruptive conduct of the incarcerated individual or visitor; abuse of visiting privileges by the incarcerated individual or visitor; or violation of state or federal laws or departmental rules by the incarcerated individual or visitor.

To view IDOC's visiting rules in complete detail, click here.

For iOS users using an iPhone or iPad & Safari, it is recommended that visitors stay on the check-in page until Officers check them and the video visit has been completed to prevent their iOS cameras from blocking access. If the visitor navigates to a different screen while waiting to be checked in or waiting for the visit to start, their camera could disable due to being in the background instead of the forefront.

GTL has completed the system upgrade to WebRTC at all facilities as of 2/19/22. This upgrade resolved the previously identified issue of incompatibility with Apple mobile devices. Friends and family can now visit individuals in custody at all facilities using iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, Mac Computer, and Windows computer. As such, GTL will resume charging for visits effective 3/7/22. Visits are now 20 minutes and cost $3.25. GTL will continue to provide (2) free messages and (1) free video visit per week.

WebRTC upgrade also changes how some people access the video visit system. Below are abbreviated instructions for users. More comprehensive information can be found here.

iPhone and iPad users need to access the website https://ildoc.gtlvisitme.com/app via their Safari web browser.

Android phone and Android tablet users need to uninstall their apps and reinstall the latest version. There is a scheduling app and visitation app. Both can be found on Google Play store by searching “Renovo Vismobile” and the apps are named GTL-Schedule Visits and GTL-Internet Visits. Android users will still need to complete their registration through the website, and the registration process can be completed via the web browser on their phone.

Windows and Mac Computer access https://ildoc.gtlvisitme.com/app via web browser. Chrome works best on both Windows and Mac for accessing the GTL visits.

All potential visitors must register with GTL (https://ildoc.gtlvisitme.com). Registration process will include completing a Prospective Visitor Interview Form; all visitors must fully complete this form with GTL, even if they have completed this form at a facility, any omissions of required information on the form may result in your registration not being accepted causing unnecessary delays. Adults are encouraged to register themselves first, and then add their minor children or guardians to the system. If you have issues registering your minor child, please contact customer support at 1-855-208-7349.

All visitors, excluding government officials and legal visitors, must be on the individual in custody’s approved visitation list in order to be granted a visit. To check if you are on the individual in custody’s visitor list, you should write a letter to the individual in custody to inquire. IDOC staff cannot tell you whether or not you are on an individual in custody’s visitation list if you call the facility. Visiting privileges may be denied if the institution or a portion of the institution is on lockdown.

All video visits will be schedule through the GTL website; do not call the facility to schedule a video visit. The visitor should check before scheduling the video visit of dates and times that are available for the individual in custody. The facility cannot tell a potential visitor if a date or time will work with an individual in custody daily schedule. The facility will inform the individual in custody of the pending visit and arrange for the individual in custody to be present.

In order to accommodate all individuals in custody in a given facility:​​

• An individual in custody may only receive 1 video visit per day.
  • No more than three approved visitors per video visit for individuals in custody confined in general population or protective custody status.

• An individual in custody may receive only 2 video visits per week, including individuals in restrictive housing, this is counted against allotted visits.

• Video visitation hours for individuals in custody in restrictive housing is Monday – Friday, 8am – 2pm.

• All video visits must be schedule at least 7 days in advance.

• Visits may only schedule one video visit per day.​

• All video visits must be schedule at least 7 days in advance.​

• Visits may be scheduled up to 30 days in advance.​

• Only scheduled visitors may appear in the video visit monitor.
  • One visitor on screen at a time, excluding children who need assistance sitting for the visit.

Video Visitation is a privilege and is available to individuals in custody in general population, restrictive housing or in the health care unit. Individuals in Custody housed in restrictive housing, orientation, or temporarily housed at our facility will be permitted video visitation. If the facility goes on lock down prior to a schedule video visit, the visitor will receive an email. Please see the GTL website for refund policy.

All visits are subject to monitoring and recording.

All video visits are monitored live and recorded, any violation of visitation rules, inappropriate conduct, or language may be subject to immediate termination of the video visit with or without warning. This may also include suspension from future all visitation privileges based upon the seriousness of the infraction. Any visitation that is not stationary in a seated position will be terminated. Your use of video visitation and acceptance of the rules is consent to have both audio and video recorded of the video visit. Attorney/Client privileges do not apply to video visitation, ALL visits are recorded. Dress Code policy below applies to video visitation. Termination of Visit/Loss of Visiting Privileges applies to video visitation.

• The following conduct is prohibited.
  • Any display of nudity.
  • ANY Behavior or actions that are of a sexual nature.
  • Use or display of any weapons, drugs/alcohol, or related paraphernalia.
  • Activity or display of graphics/paraphernalia associated with any Security Threat Group.
  • Unlawful activity or depiction of unlawful activity.
  • Recording or filming a visit by any visitor participant or any third party.
  • If ANY inappropriate behaviors are displayed the Video visit WILL BE TERMINATED.

• No video visitation visits will be scheduled between 2:30pm-4:30pm due to institutional count procedures.

• General Population Individuals in Custody may have a total of 7 visits per calendar month; each visit may be up to 4 hours per visit.

• Visitors may only visit once per day.

• Visitors who travel great distances to visit an individual in custody may request extended visits and/or group visits. These requests should be made in advance to the Chief Administrative Officer for consideration. All visitors must receive notification of approval or denial before and extended visit is granted.

• All persons must be on the individual in custody’s approved visiting list.

• Persons under age of 18 must be accompanied by an approved visitor who is age 18 or older. Persons under 12 years of age may only be permitted to visit when accompanied by parent or guardian who is an approved visitor or when prior written consent has been given by a parent or guardian who is in the free community for the child to visit when accompanied by a person designated in writing who is an approved visitor and who is at least 18 years of age or older.

• Immediate family is defined as the individual in custody’s child, sibling, grandchild, whether step or adopted, half, or whole, and spouses.

• Visitors are required to show photo identification such as a driver's license, a state identification card or acceptable documentation of non-US citizenship including a current passport, Visa, or Matricula, and documentation that includes their date of birth.

• Any person who has been convicted of a criminal offense or who has criminal charges pending, including but not limited to, an individual on bond, parole, mandatory supervised release, or probation or an ex-individual in custody, may visit an individual in custody only with prior written approval of the Warden.

• All visitors, their vehicle, and their property are subject to search.

• The dress code will be strictly enforced. Visitors must be appropriately dressed or the visit will not be permitted at the discretion of the DAO or Back-up DAO.

• Inappropriate, revealing clothing is not allowed, such as short skirts or dresses, wrap-around skirts, short shorts, see-through or low cut blouses, break-away pants, spandex bodysuits, clothes with holes in suggestive areas, or any clothing that allows undergarments to be visible.

• Undergarments must be worn at all times. Clothing must be in good taste and not advertise or suggest anything illegal, gang-related, or of a sexual nature.

• No hats, gloves, scarves or headbands are allowed. With the exception of religious headgear.

• Jewelry that is extremely heavy in weight or that is intimidating to any person, i.e., replicas of any guns, knives, ammo, drugs or drug paraphernalia, will not be allowed.

• Visitors may possess one watch (exclusive of smart watches), one bracelet, two rings (inclusive of one wedding ring), one necklace, one pair of earrings, and piercings that cannot be removed. Any belt buckles may be subject to thorough inspection.

• Any jewelry with names, initials, or words will not be allowed. No lockets or any jewelry with pictures will be allowed. Any jewelry that is perceived as a security threat will be denied.

• Visitors and individuals in custody may not exchange ANY item during a visit.

• Inappropriate behavior of a visitor or possession of contraband may result in a temporary or permanent visiting restriction.

• The Warden/Assistant Warden may further restrict or limit visits at any time due to the availability of space and staff, institutional emergencies, lockdowns and for a reasonable period of time thereafter, or for violations of state or federal law or department rules by the individual in custody or visitor.

• For additional information, contact the Warden's Office at the respective facility where the individual in custody is housed. The facility phone numbers are under the facilities link at www.illinois.gov/idoc.​​​​​​