Estelle Unit, TX

Scheduling a visit at the Estelle Unit starts with the TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler. You'll need to create your own account—staff can't do it for you or change your email address. Forgot your password? Use the Forgot Password link to reset it. To add an inmate, search by TDCJ number or eight-digit SID (or use the Offender Search). Once you request to add someone, the unit verifies your relationship before approving visits. Visit types include regular, contact, and video/tablet, though availability depends on your relationship, the facility's setup, and the inmate's privileges. Regular visiting hours run Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with cycles running Monday through the following Sunday.

To send personal mail to someone at the Estelle Unit, address it to TDCJ with the inmate's full name and TDCJ number. Mail it to the TDCJ Digital Processing Center: PO Box 660400, Dallas, TX 75266-0400. Texas uses centralized mail processing—most personal letters are scanned at a central facility and delivered to inmates electronically. Some items may be handled differently by the unit. Legal or privileged mail, along with publisher-sent publications, typically follow separate routing and may skip the standard scanning process. If the inmate transfers within TDCJ, mail gets forwarded to the new unit. It may also be forwarded after release if the inmate left a forwarding address.

Adding money to an inmate trust account at the Estelle Unit starts with one key rule: you must be an approved sender. Only people on the inmate's Approved Visitor list or Approved Telephone list can make deposits. Don't mail trust fund deposits or other inmate items to the facility address—follow the centralized deposit instructions instead. Common options include approved online vendors, vendor kiosks, and mailed money orders or cashier's checks. Vendors and kiosks may charge service fees and have their own processing rules. Confirm you're approved first, then follow the chosen vendor's steps exactly. The Inmate Trust Fund office can confirm a deposit was received but won't share balances or transaction details with anyone except the inmate.

Finding someone at Estelle Unit usually starts with statewide tools. The most accurate search method uses the inmate's TDCJ/SID number—an eight-digit identifier—or the TDCJ Offender Search. Don't have an ID number? Use a statewide offender search to locate the person first, then pull the TDCJ/SID or booking number from the results. You can also register for notification services like VINE/IVSS/SAVNS to receive ongoing custody and status alerts. Since public rosters and third-party lists vary in completeness, double-check key details across sources before making plans. When adding someone in a visitation scheduler, you'll typically need the offender identifier, and relationship-verification requests may be routed to the inmate's unit.