How to Contact an Inmate at Facility
Contacting someone who's incarcerated usually starts with getting approved for visitation, then following the facility's scheduling rules. Here are the key rules and the simplest way to work through them without wasted trips or denied visits.
Warning: Bringing a cell phone or any electronic device capable of sending or receiving communications into a secure area of a jail or state penal institution is a felony. Penalties include up to two years in prison and/or a fine up to $2,500. Leave all devices outside secure areas.
If you're trying to connect by video visit, plan ahead. All visitors must schedule video visits at least 48 hours before the requested time. That 48-hour window is the difference between getting on the schedule and having to wait another day. If you have a specific day in mind, get your request in early.
Video visitation isn't a "looser" version of an in-person visit. The same regular in-person visitation rules apply, so your eligibility and behavior during the visit still matter. Treat a video visit exactly like you would a standard visit. Follow the same expectations the facility sets for all visitation.
Before you can visit, you need to get on the approved list. All visitors must submit a Visitor Application Form. Sending a paper application? Mail it to: Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Attn: Visitation Unit, P.O. Box 11400, Oklahoma City, OK 73136-0400. Address it to the Visitation Unit, not the inmate.
If you're 18 or older, a background check is required as part of the approval process. Approval can take up to eight weeks, and the inmate will notify you once it's complete. When you do visit, anyone 18 and older must present photo identification at the facility. Make that ID check part of your visit routine.
Note: An inmate can have a maximum of 20 visitors on their approved list. Children under 18 don't count toward that total.
- Decide whether you are doing a video visit: If you are, schedule it at least 48 hours before the visit time you want.
- Use the in-person rules as your baseline: Video visits follow the same regular in-person visitation rules, so plan and act accordingly.
- Complete the Visitor Application Form: Every visitor has to submit one before visiting.
- Submit it and plan for processing time: Background checks are required for visitors 18 and older, and approval can take up to eight weeks. The inmate will notify you when it’s complete. Paper forms can be mailed to ODOC, Attn: Visitation Unit, P.O. Box 11400, Oklahoma City, OK 73136-0400.
- ✓ If you are 18 or older, bring photo ID for the visit.
- ✓ Confirm you are on the inmate’s approved visitors list, and that there is room (maximum 20 visitors total; children under 18 do not count toward the 20).
Warning: Do not bring a cell phone or other electronic communication device into a secure area. This can be charged as a felony, punishable by up to two years imprisonment and/or a fine up to $2,500.
Confirm the scheduling requirement before you lock in your plans. Video visits must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance, so last-minute requests probably won't work. Also confirm you're following the same rules that apply to in-person visitation. Video visitation uses those regular visitation rules. The safest approach is to assume the same standards apply unless the facility tells you otherwise.
Double-check where your Visitor Application Form needs to go, especially if you're sending a paper version. Paper forms can be mailed to ODOC, Attn: Visitation Unit, P.O. Box 11400, Oklahoma City, OK 73136-0400. If you're 18 or older, ask about the background check timeline so you can set expectations. Approval can take up to eight weeks, and the inmate is the one who gets notified when the process is complete.
- ✓ Confirm what photo identification you should bring if you are 18 or older.
- ✓ Ask whether you are already on the inmate’s approved visitors list, and whether the list has space (maximum 20 visitors; children under 18 do not count toward the 20).
Warning: Verify the facility's secure-area device rules before you arrive. Bringing a phone or electronic communication device into a secure area can be a felony, with penalties up to two years and/or a $2,500 fine.
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