What Happens After You Request Visitor Approval at McConnell Unit (and what to do if scheduling isn't available)

When you submit a Relationship Request for someone at McConnell Unit, that request goes to TDCJ staff at the unit for verification. While the review is in progress, you'll still see the person on your visitor home page. They'll just stay under "Relation Requests Pending Approval" until staff approve it.

Once McConnell Unit staff confirm the relationship, it moves from the pending area into "Verified Inmate Relations." That status change means the relationship check is done. From there, you can schedule a visit if scheduling is enabled for that inmate and the Schedule Visit button appears next to their name.

Approved but the Schedule Visit button is blank or replaced with "Call Unit"? You're not stuck. That screen is your cue to schedule by phone instead. Call McConnell Unit directly and ask staff to help you set the visit up.

• ✓ Ask whether your Visitor and Inmate relationship shows as approved on their end
• ✓ Ask whether the inmate’s visitation privileges are currently in effect
• ✓ Ask what scheduling options are available for your situation and what the next step is to lock in a visit

Even when online scheduling is working, the options you see can vary. What shows up depends on the relationship type, the unit's visitation area setup, and the inmate's visitation privileges. The scheduler may list visit types like Regular, Contact, or Video/Tablet. If the unit and the inmate's situation allow it, you might also see an option to request an Extended or Special Visit, but those won't appear for everyone.

Missing dates on the calendar? That's usually normal, not a glitch. Any week where the inmate already has a visit scheduled won't show available dates. So if the calendar suddenly looks thin, check whether there's already a visit on the books for that week.

1. Check the Schedule Visit area first - if the button is blank or says “Call Unit,” plan to schedule by calling McConnell Unit.
2. Confirm you are clear to schedule - ask the unit to verify your relationship status and whether visitation privileges are currently in effect.
3. Lock in the details - confirm the visit type and the date/time you are being scheduled for.
4. Get the unit’s contact info if you do not have it - use TDCJ’s general unit phone lists to find McConnell Unit’s main number.