How to Get Approved to Visit Someone in an Oklahoma DOC Facility: Step-by-Step Timeline

Visitor approval in ODOC can take up to eight weeks. Not every application takes that long, but plan for a wait. You don't want to be scrambling right before a special date or a long drive.

Part of the reason it takes time: every visitor age 18 and older goes through a background check. You typically won't hear directly from the Visitation Unit, either. The inmate gets notified when the process is complete and can pass the word along to you.

Before you can visit anyone in an ODOC facility, you need to submit a Visitor Application Form. If you show up without prior approval, you'll be turned away, even if you're traveling with other approved visitors.

• ✓ A copy of the front of your driver’s license or state-issued ID
• ✓ A copy of the back of your driver’s license or state-issued ID

Paper visitation application forms can be mailed to ODOC headquarters, but make sure you route it correctly. Address the form to the Visitation Unit (not to the inmate): Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Attn: Visitation Unit, P.O. Box 11400, Oklahoma City, OK 73136-0400.

If you're 18 or older, a background check is part of the approval process. This is standard across ODOC, so submit your application as early as possible, especially if you're trying to line up a first visit.

While you wait, keep it simple: approval can take up to eight weeks, and the inmate is the one who gets notified when it's done. If you've recently moved or changed your phone number, make sure your loved one has your current contact info so they can reach you when they hear back.

There is one narrow exception that sometimes comes up with new arrivals. Before mailed visiting forms are returned to unit staff, family members listed in the inmate's field file may be allowed one visit within 30 days. After that single visit, you'll need to wait until your visiting form is fully approved before visiting again.

1. Re-check how you addressed the envelope. ODOC requires paper applications be addressed to the Visitation Unit, not to the inmate.
2. Confirm you sent the form to the right place. Mail it to Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Attn: Visitation Unit, P.O. Box 11400, Oklahoma City, OK 73136-0400.
3. If you are told to resubmit, resend it exactly as directed. A small routing mistake can slow things down, so keep a copy of what you mailed for your records.