How to Schedule Your First Visit at Joe Ney State Jail (step-by-step)

The TDCJ Online Visitation Scheduler is where you create your visitor profile, link your account to the person you want to visit, and schedule visits once approved. You'll need to create your own account - TDCJ staff can't do this for you. After you add an inmate, the system sends a Relationship Request to their unit for verification. The visit options you see depend on what's available at that unit and what you're approved for.

1. Create your own Scheduler account - Set up your visitor account yourself; TDCJ staff cannot create accounts for visitors.
2. Use an email address you control - You’ll be using this account to manage your visitation profile moving forward, so pick the email carefully.
3. Know what staff can (and can’t) do - Staff can’t create the account for you; account creation has to be done by the visitor.

Set aside time to complete the Background Questionnaire in one sitting. TDCJ requires every question answered before you can proceed - leave anything blank and you'll be stuck.

• ✓ Answer every question on the Background Questionnaire (no blanks)
• ✓ Slow down and confirm each item is filled in before you try to continue
• ✓ If you can’t move to the next step, go back and look for any unanswered question

1. Search for the inmate - Use the scheduler’s inmate search to find the correct person.
2. Choose your relationship - Select the relationship type from the dropdown list.
3. Submit the Relationship Request - Click the option to request approval, then confirm when prompted so the request is sent.

Once you submit, your Relationship Request goes to the inmate's unit. Staff there verify your connection to the inmate, and that verification is what unlocks your ability to schedule visits.

After submitting your request, you're waiting on the unit to verify your relationship. If your status shows the request is still pending, verification hasn't happened yet. Once staff confirm the relationship, you can move forward with scheduling. Verification is the gate - it has to open first.

When you're ready to schedule, the system offers four visit types: Regular, Contact, Video/Tablet, and others. One thing to know: the Video/Tablet option in the TDCJ scheduler is not the same as the Securus Video program available at some units.

You might not see every visit type listed. What shows up depends on your verified relationship, the facility's visitation setup, and the inmate's current privileges. If an option is missing, one of those factors is the reason.