How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Start by creating your own account in the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler—unit staff can't create visitor accounts, though they can help update your profile after you register. Setup requires completing the Background Questionnaire and entering a 7-digit validation code emailed to you. Once your email is registered, it can't be changed. Eastham offers multiple visit types (Regular, Contact, and Video/Tablet), and what you can schedule depends on the inmate's privileges and the unit's layout. On-site visiting runs Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visiting cycles run Monday through the following Sunday, with frequency set by custody/class. Video visits are scheduled through the vendor and may be limited—call the unit to confirm before traveling.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
A quick check before you leave can save you hours on the road—and a visit that never happens. Use this checklist to confirm the right unit, the right status, and the few rules that trip people up most often.
Planning a visit at the Eastham Unit? The phrase
If your loved one is at Eastham Unit, you can't swap names on the Visitors List whenever you want. The timing rules are strict—a little planning now can save you months of waiting.
Your first visit at Eastham Unit starts with the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. Here's the basic flow: create your scheduler account, add the inmate to your profile, submit a Relationship Request for unit verification, then schedule your visit once approved. You'll manage everything through the statewide scheduler at https://visitation.tdcj.texas.gov/Visitation/startLoginAction.action.
Go to the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler (https://visitation.tdcj.texas.gov) and register your own account; unit staff can’t create accounts for visitors. Complete every question on the Background Questionnaire and enter the 7-digit validation code emailed to you to finish setup. If you forget your password, use the Forgot/Reset Password option and follow the emailed steps.
On-site visiting hours at Eastham Unit are Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Visiting cycles run Monday through the following Sunday, and visit frequency depends on the inmate’s custody/class.
In your visitor profile, add the inmate using their 8-digit TDCJ or SID number when prompted. After you submit a Relationship Request, the unit verifies the relationship, and the request stays listed as pending on your home page until it’s approved or denied.
You can't deposit money just because you know someone at Eastham Unit. Since September 1, 2020, TDCJ only accepts trust fund deposits from people on the inmate's approved visitor list or Inmate Telephone List. Not on either list? Your deposit will be rejected. Check your status before sending anything.
Setting up phone calls and remote video visits is mostly about registration and scheduling. Once you have the inmate's TDCJ ID number, you can get everything moving quickly.
