Video Visits vs. In-Person Visits at Chippewa CF: Which Should You Choose?

Time is the biggest difference. Video visits run 20 minutes and cost $3.20 per visit, paid in advance by you. In-person visits give you much more time - 3 hours on weekdays, 2 hours on weekends. Both options allow up to five visitors at once. Children under two don't count toward that limit, so you can bring a baby without using up a spot.

Scheduling works the same way for both visit types: you'll use the Michigan DOC Visitation Scheduling website hosted by ViaPath. Your visiting application must be approved first - if you try to book before approval, the visit won't be honored. Once approved, plan ahead: schedule at least 48 hours in advance, but no more than 7 days before the visit date.

1. Log into the ViaPath visitor website 10 minutes early - video visits require you to be online ahead of time for verification.
2. Have your pictured ID ready on camera - adult visitors must present a government-issued photo ID on video before each visit for identification verification.

For video visits, what you wear and do on camera matters. You must be fully dressed - no underwear, bathing suits, or lingerie as outer garments. You can't remove clothing during the visit. One exception: breastfeeding is allowed as long as the child is on the prisoner's approved visitor list. In-person visits have their own dress code. Skip anything revealing, including skirts or shorts more than 3 inches above the knee. Form-fitting clothes like leggings and yoga pants aren't allowed, and neither are hooded items or clothing with graphic content. When in doubt, dress more conservatively than you think necessary. Getting turned away is a hard way to lose a visit.

If physical contact matters to you, in-person visits are your only option. You can briefly hug and kiss at the beginning and end of the visit - but that's it. No other contact is allowed during the visit itself.

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• ✓ Cancel 48+ hours before your video visit to get a full refund.
• ✓ Cancel less than 48 hours but at least 24 hours before to get a 50% refund.
• ✓ If the facility cancels the video visit or there are VERIFIED technical problems, you get a 100% refund and it won’t count against the prisoner’s monthly video-visit allotment.

Choose video visits when you need something quick and predictable - especially if you live far away. They're easier to fit into a busy week. The tradeoff: 20 minutes, $3.20 paid in advance, and everything is recorded. Better for regular check-ins than sensitive conversations. Choose in-person visits when you want more time together and a chance for brief contact at the start and end. You'll still need to schedule ahead (at least 48 hours, no more than 7 days out) and follow the dress code carefully. If privacy is your main concern, remember that standard video visits are recorded - attorney-client video visits are the exception.