What Changed June 1, 2023 at VADOC: You No Longer Need to Be on an Inmate’s Visiting List

Remember having to get on your loved one's approved visiting list before you could see them? That changed across the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) on June 1, 2023. Visitors no longer need to be on an inmate's approved visiting list to be approved for in-person visitation at VADOC facilities, including Indiana Creek Correctional Center. The matching paperwork requirement on the inmate side went away too. As of June 1, 2023, inmates no longer need to complete and submit the Inmate Visiting List to their counselor in January and July.

The "visiting list" requirement is gone, but the approval process itself isn't. To visit someone at a VADOC facility like Indiana Creek, you still need to complete the VADOC online visitation application. That system is specifically for VADOC facilities - local and regional jails use different processes.

• ✓ Plan around the expiration: once you’re approved, your visitor application expires three years after the approval date.
• ✓ Renew early to avoid a gap: submit a new/updated application at least 45 days before expiration if you’re an in-state visitor, or at least 90 days before expiration if you’re out of state.
• ✓ Set aside uninterrupted time: the online application usually takes about 20–30 minutes, and you can’t save it as a draft - you have to finish and submit it in one sitting.
• ✓ Gather what you’ll need before you start: the inmate’s name or inmate ID, a form of picture ID, and your Social Security Number.
• ✓ If a child will visit: minors must be approved and registered, a minor’s application has to be attached to an adult application, and the minor must be accompanied by a parent, legal guardian, or an approved adult during the visit.

For Indiana Creek, the takeaway is simple: skip trying to get added to a visiting list. Focus on what actually matters - submitting your online VADOC visitation application - then follow the facility's scheduling process for visits. Build in a quick confirmation step before you travel. VADOC institutions typically allow in-person visits on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, but procedures can vary by facility and change over time. A quick call to Indiana Creek can save you a wasted trip.