Garza East Unit Visiting Hours, Visit Lengths, and Who Qualifies for Contact Visits
Planning a visit is easier when you know the standard TDCJ schedule, how long visits last, and what qualifies as a contact visit. Here's how the rules work so you can plan your trip to Garza East with fewer surprises.
Under TDCJ's standard schedule, visiting hours are Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Each unit operates under the warden's direction, though, so Garza East may have its own procedures for how visits are handled within those hours. If you're planning a long drive, treat the weekend window as a baseline, not a guarantee. The warden's office has final say on how visitation runs day to day. That's why confirming the current schedule before you go matters.
A regular visit is two hours long. The clock starts when both the incarcerated person and the visitor(s) are present, not when you arrive at the unit. This detail matters for planning. If processing or movement takes time, your visit doesn't "bank" while you wait. It begins once everyone is actually in the visiting area and the visit is underway.
Eligible inmates are generally allowed one visit per visiting cycle. If multiple family members want to come in the same week, you'll need to coordinate who visits when. Planning around work, childcare, or travel? Keep in mind that the unit counts visits by cycle. Once that cycle's visit is used, the next one typically has to wait until the following cycle.
A contact visit allows physical contact between you and the person you're visiting. In TDCJ, these visits happen either inside the unit in a designated visiting area or outside the main building but still within the fenced perimeter. If you've only done non-contact visits before, here's the key difference: contact visits allow approved, in-person contact instead of keeping you separated by glass or barriers.
- ✓ G1: One contact visit per week
- ✓ J1: One contact visit per week
- ✓ J2: One contact visit per week
Note: Visitation can be temporarily restricted for an inmate or visitor if rule violations occur or security concerns arise. Visits may also be suspended during unit lockdowns, serious incidents like escapes or disturbances, or health and safety emergencies. The warden (or designee) has authority over all visitation decisions.
- Check the current unit visitation information before you leave. Visitation is managed under the direction of the warden (or designee), and unit procedures can affect how visiting is handled.
- Call to confirm before you drive. Visits can be restricted or discontinued for security issues, lockdowns, disturbances, escapes, rule violations, or health and safety emergencies.
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