Setting Up Remote Video Visits: A Step-by-Step Guide for Hillsborough County Jail Families

To use inmate-initiated video visits at Hillsborough County Jail, you need a GettingOut account with both your email address and phone number verified. These visits happen on your smart device, so getting set up in advance is key. One thing worth knowing: the jail offers two types of video visits. There's prescheduled no-cost video time each week, and there are also on-demand sessions initiated by the inmate that come with a fee.

1. Create your GettingOut account: Sign up at GettingOut.com (or start in the app).
2. Confirm your email address: Complete the email confirmation step so your account shows a confirmed email.
3. Verify your phone number: Complete phone verification as prompted.
4. Double-check that both are verified: Inmate-initiated video visits require a verified email and a verified phone number.

Video Visitation Services (VVS) at Hillsborough County Jail are typically available between 9:30 am and 8:45 pm. Each inmate gets two hours of prescheduled no-cost VVS per week. Get your account verified before those hours so you're actually ready when your loved one schedules or starts a visit.

Before you can accept a Visit Now visit, you need to be set up on the device you'll actually use. You can either download the GTL Friends and Family Visit Now app (also called the Getting Out Visits app) or use GettingOut.com in a modern browser. For Hillsborough County Jail, inmate-initiated (outgoing) visits can only be completed on a visitor's smart device. Plan to use your phone or tablet for those sessions.

• ✓ Download the GTL Friends and Family Visit Now app (Getting Out Visits app) on your smart device.
• ✓ Or, go to GettingOut.com using a modern web browser before you try to accept a Visit Now visit.

Once your email and phone are verified, add the inmate to your GettingOut contacts list. Video visits will only connect with inmates on your contacts list, so this step is required. For Visit Now sessions specifically, both sides need to be linked: the inmate can only start a Visit Now visit with people on their contacts list, and you need to have accepted them as a contact on your end too.

1. Add the inmate to your contacts in GettingOut: Do this after your email and phone are fully verified.
2. Make sure the contact connection is mutual: Visit Now only works when the inmate is on your contacts list, and you are on the inmate’s contacts list.
3. Confirm you are an accepted contact: The inmate must be an accepted contact of the visitor for a Visit Now session to connect.

If visits aren't connecting, start with the basics. Confirm you created your account at GettingOut.com and that both your email address and phone number completed verification. Inmate-initiated video visits depend on that verification being done, not just the account existing.

Next, check how you're trying to join. You need to download the GTL Friends and Family Visit Now app (Getting Out Visits app) to your smart device or use GettingOut.com on a modern browser before you can accept a Visit Now visit.