Your VADOC Visitor Approval Is About to Expire: How to Renew Without Missing a Visit
VADOC visitor approvals don't last forever. An expiration can sneak up on you right before a planned weekend visit. Here's how the three-year timeline works and the simplest way to renew early enough to avoid any gap.
Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) visitor applications expire three years after approval. If you were approved a while back and haven't thought about it since, that three-year mark can sneak up fast. Suddenly you're scrambling right before a visit.
Renew early: To keep your visitation privileges uninterrupted, VADOC recommends submitting a new, updated visitor application before your current approval expires. The lead time depends on whether you live in Virginia or out of state.
One helpful update: as of June 1, 2023, visitors no longer need to be on an inmate's approved visiting list to get approved for in-person visitation. Your renewal is handled through the visitor application process, not through the inmate's visiting list.
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- ✓ If you live in Virginia (in-state): submit your new, updated visitor application at least 45 days before your approval expires.
- ✓ If you live out of state: submit your new, updated visitor application at least 90 days before your approval expires.
- Start your renewal application online - Renewal is done by submitting a new, updated visitor application.
- Make sure your personal details match your ID - You will need to bring at least one valid picture ID that matches the information on your visitation application.
- Add minors the right way (if they will visit) - Minor visitors must be approved and registered for visitation. A minor’s application has to be attached to an adult application.
- Choose an acceptable photo ID to use for visits - Acceptable forms of ID include a driver’s license, military ID, or another official picture ID issued by a federal or state agency. A passport is acceptable only for those who do not reside in the United States.
- Submit with enough lead time to prevent a gap - Use the 45-day (in-state) or 90-day (out-of-state) window so your renewed approval is in place before your current one expires.
Bring matching, valid photo ID: You'll need at least one valid picture ID that matches your visitation application. Acceptable forms include a driver's license, military ID, other federal or state agency picture ID, or a passport (passports only for visitors who don't reside in the United States).
Renew late and you'll face an interruption in visitation privileges. The fix is the same as renewal: submit a new, updated visitor application. Give it the recommended lead time (at least 45 days if you live in-state, at least 90 days if out-of-state) so you're not stuck missing visits while your approval processes.
Good to know: Since June 1, 2023, visitors don't have to be on an inmate's approved visiting list to get approved for in-person visitation. If you're trying to get reinstated after an expiration, focus on submitting your visitor application as soon as possible.
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