How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
To visit at Marion-Walthall Regional CI, the inmate must send you an Application for Visiting Privileges. Fill out every section and mail it to the MDOC address listed in the packet—MDOC doesn't provide these forms online or send them by mail or email on request. Each inmate can list up to 10 visitors, and immediate family typically stays on the list unless the inmate removes them. When you arrive, you'll register at the visitation processing center, show valid photo ID, sign the visitor log, and have the top of your right hand stamped. You may be frisked or asked to walk through an electronic body scanner. Follow the MDOC dress code, leave phones, wallets, and purses locked in your vehicle, and don't bring money, OTC medication, or other prohibited items. Visitation is a privilege—it can be denied or ended for contraband, intoxication, inappropriate conduct, or rule violations.
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Bringing kids to MDOC visits is allowed, but the rules depend on your child's age. Here's what you need to know about ID requirements for minors—and what you can bring for an infant.
Need medication during an MDOC visit? Plan ahead. Prescribed meds must be left with the Visitor Center Officer—unless you've gotten advance written approval to keep them on you.
Getting approved to visit at an MDOC facility starts with one key detail: the inmate has to begin the process. Once you know that, the rest comes down to completing the paperwork carefully and confirming approval before you spend money on travel.
Your first visit can feel overwhelming, especially when you don't know what to expect at check-in. Here's how the typical MDOC visitation-center process works—what you'll do, what ID you'll need, and what screening looks like.
A smooth MDOC visit starts in the parking lot. Bring the right ID to the front desk and leave personal items locked in your car — otherwise you risk delays or getting turned away.
The inmate has to send you an Application for Visiting Privileges to start the process. Complete all parts and mail it to the MDOC address listed in the packet, since forms aren’t provided online or sent out on request. You may not be automatically notified of approval, so call the facility to confirm your status before you travel.
If you're 18 or older, bring a valid government-issued photo ID—driver's license, state ID, or passport all work. Visitors 16 and older must be on the approved list. Children 15 and younger should bring a legible birth certificate unless they have a photo ID showing their date of birth. During processing, you'll sign the visitor log and have the top of your right hand stamped.
Cell phones, wallets, and purses must stay locked in your vehicle. You can't bring money or over-the-counter medication inside. If you have prescription medication, turn it over to the Visitor Center Officer and let them know your dosing times. Need to keep medication on you at all times (like heart medication)? Request prior written approval by sending a doctor's statement to the Area Warden.
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