Free Lobby Kiosk vs. $5 Remote Video Visits at Inverness Jail — Which Should You Use?
Inverness offers two ways to video visit: a free lobby kiosk at the jail, or a $5 remote visit from home through Securus. Your best pick depends on cost, timing, and how flexible your schedule needs to be.
At Multnomah County Inverness Jail, Securus handles both video visit options. Use the on-site lobby kiosk and it's free. Visit from home and you'll pay $5 each time. For most families, that's the deciding factor: free means showing up at the jail, paid means connecting from wherever you are.
Note: Video visits are recorded and subject to electronic monitoring, whether you’re using the lobby kiosk or visiting from home.
Remote visits require a bit more setup. You'll need a Securus account, and visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours ahead - no last-minute bookings. If you're juggling work, school pickup, or weekend plans, that 24-hour window is the detail that trips people up.
- ✓ Arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled kiosk visit
- ✓ Bring valid government-issued photo ID
- ✓ Check in at the Facility Security Officer desk
Here's something to watch for: official sources disagree on visit length. The Inverness visitor guide PDF says 20 minutes. The MCSO visitation webpage says 30. That gap matters - especially if you're arranging childcare or budgeting your conversation time. Confirm the length when you schedule so you're not caught off guard.
- Check the visit length when you book - look for the duration shown during scheduling and treat that as your working time limit.
- Ask which time limit they’re using - if you’re unsure, ask staff or the scheduling system’s help prompts which official guidance is being followed right now.
- Plan a buffer around your appointment - don’t stack another commitment immediately after your visit time; build in extra minutes in case the session runs shorter than you expected.
Bringing family to the lobby kiosk? Keep the group small. Inverness limits kiosk visits to three people per session, so larger groups will need to take turns.
The lobby kiosk runs on a set schedule. At Inverness Jail, video kiosk hours are Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–11:00 AM and 1:00 PM–3:00 PM, plus Saturday–Sunday 9:00 AM–11:00 AM and 1:00 PM–3:00 PM. The public lobby closes at 3:00 PM daily (effective February 6, 2023). Don't cut it close - arriving near closing time won't leave you enough time to check in and start your visit.
Reminder: For kiosk visits, you’ll check in at the Facility Security Officer desk with valid government-issued photo ID, and you should arrive at least 15 minutes early.
Watching your budget? The free lobby kiosk wins. No per-visit fee, period. The trade-off is logistics: you have to get to Inverness during kiosk hours and arrive early enough to check in. Remote visits flip that equation. You pay $5 each time, but you can connect from home - a real advantage if you live far away or can't make the 9–11 and 1–3 windows. Just remember: remote visits need a Securus account and 24-hour advance booking, so they work best when you can plan ahead.
- ✓ Use the free lobby kiosk if saving the $5 fee matters most and you can get to Inverness during the posted kiosk hours
- ✓ Choose a remote (at-home) visit if you need to connect from home and you’re okay paying $5 per visit
- ✓ Pick remote if you can plan ahead (visits must be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance)
- ✓ Pick the kiosk if you don’t want to deal with online account setup for remote visiting
- ✓ If you use the kiosk, plan to arrive at least 15 minutes early and bring valid government-issued photo ID for check-in
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