Why the 'Schedule Visit' Button May Be Missing for a Ferguson Unit Inmate — and What to Do

The most common reason the Schedule Visit button isn't showing up? Your relationship to the inmate is still pending approval. When you submit a Relationship Request through the online system, that request goes to the inmate's unit of assignment (in this case, Ferguson) so TDCJ staff can verify the connection between you and the inmate.

Another possibility: visitation privileges aren't available for your visitor-inmate pairing. If your relationship has been confirmed but visitation privileges were removed, you'll see a Not Approved for Visits message where the Schedule Visit button would normally appear. If you've been removed from the inmate's Visitors List, there is a formal appeals option through the Director's Review Committee (DRC), which is covered below.

If the Schedule Visit button is blank or replaced with Call Unit, the system is telling you that online scheduling isn't available for that inmate right now. Your next step is simple: call the inmate's unit of assignment (in this case, the Ferguson Unit) to schedule the visit directly.

Sometimes the button is there, but the calendar looks broken because certain dates never show up. This is actually by design. Any dates that fall during a week where the inmate already has a visit scheduled won't appear as options. If you're not seeing the week you want, try a different week, or call the unit to confirm what's already on the schedule.

1. Call the inmate’s unit of assignment If the button is blank or says Call Unit, scheduling needs to be handled by the unit.
2. Have the inmate’s 8-digit TDCJ or SID number ready Unit staff will typically need this to find the correct person and help you schedule.
3. Add the inmate to your online visitation profile (if needed) To add an inmate, you must search using the inmate’s 8-digit TDCJ or SID number. If you have not added them yet, you can do that once you have the number.

Don't know the inmate's TDCJ or SID number? Use the TDCJ Offender Search on the TDCJ website to look it up before trying to add them to your profile. The online system requires an 8-digit TDCJ or SID number to find and add the inmate. It's also useful to have on hand when you call the unit.

• ✓ Inmate’s 8-digit TDCJ or SID number
• ✓ Your visitor profile email (the email tied to your online visitation account)
• ✓ Your relationship to the inmate (the same relationship you select when requesting approval)
• ✓ A few date and time options you are available to visit
• ✓ A note that the Schedule Visit button is blank or shows Call Unit (so staff understand what you are seeing)

Seeing Not Approved for Visits where the Schedule Visit button should be means the system can't process a visit through the normal scheduling path. In most cases, this lines up with being removed from an inmate's Visitors List, which blocks your ability to schedule online.

If you were removed from the inmate's Visitors List and want to challenge that decision, you can submit a written appeal to the Director's Review Committee (DRC) at 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. This is a formal process. Keep copies of everything you send, and expect it to take time.

Next Steps If Scheduling Fails

• ✓ Confirm your Relationship Request was sent to the inmate’s unit of assignment for verification, and that it has been approved
• ✓ If you received a removal notice or see Not Approved for Visits, confirm whether you were removed from the inmate’s Visitors List

1. Get the inmate’s 8-digit TDCJ or SID number Use the TDCJ Offender Search if you do not already have it.
2. Call the unit and ask how visits must be scheduled for that inmate If the Schedule Visit button is blank or shows Call Unit, the unit can tell you the correct scheduling path.
3. Write down what happened Note the date and time of your call, who you spoke with (if you are given a name), and what you were told to do next. If you need to follow up, this saves you from starting over.

If the core issue is removal from the inmate's Visitors List, the DRC appeal is the formal route to request a review. Send a written appeal to the Director's Review Committee (DRC), PO Box 99, Huntsville, TX 77342. Make sure it's submitted within 14 days of the date on the written notice of removal.