What to Do When Your Relationship Request Is Still Pending (TDCJ Scheduler)

After you submit a Relationship Request in the TDCJ online visitation scheduler, it doesn’t approve instantly. The request is sent to the inmate’s unit of assignment, where staff verify the visitor/inmate relationship. While that approval is still in progress, you’ll see the request on your scheduler home page under “Relation Requests Pending Approval.”

Once staff confirm the relationship, it moves out of the pending section and into “Verified Inmate Relations.” At that point, you may be able to schedule a visit - if the “Schedule Visit” button appears next to the inmate’s name and visits are available to book.

Even after your relationship shows as verified, the “Schedule Visit” button isn’t always there. Sometimes it’s blank or replaced with “Call Unit.” When you see that, it’s the scheduler telling you to contact the inmate’s unit of assignment to schedule the visit.

Another reason you won’t see a “Schedule Visit” button is if the inmate’s visitation privileges have been removed. In that situation, the scheduler replaces the button with the message “Not Approved for Visits,” which means you can’t schedule through the system right now.

1. Check which status you’re seeing - Look on your home page for “Relation Requests Pending Approval” versus “Verified Inmate Relations.” Pending means the unit still needs to verify; verified means staff have already confirmed the relationship.
2. If you see “Call Unit,” contact the inmate’s unit of assignment - That message (or a blank button area) is your cue to call the unit to schedule the visit.
3. Ask whether your relationship request has been received and verified - Since the request is sent to the unit for verification, confirm they have it and whether anything else is needed to complete the verification.
4. Confirm whether visits can be scheduled after verification - Once the relationship is confirmed, visits may be scheduled if the “Schedule Visit” button is available by the inmate’s name. If it isn’t showing, ask the unit what you should do next.

If you were removed from an inmate’s Visitors List, you can submit a written appeal to the Director’s Review Committee (DRC). Mail it to: Director’s Review Committee (DRC), PO Box 99, Huntsville, TX 77342. The appeal must be submitted within 14 days of the date on the written notice of removal from the unit.

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• ✓ Confirm in the scheduler whether the relationship is still under “Relation Requests Pending Approval” or has moved to “Verified Inmate Relations.”
• ✓ If the scheduler shows “Call Unit” (or the Schedule Visit button area is blank), call the inmate’s unit of assignment to schedule the visit.
• ✓ If the scheduler says “Not Approved for Visits,” confirm the inmate’s visitation privileges before traveling to Cleveland Unit.