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Schedule IDOC Visits in Eastern Time: Avoid Missing Your Visit

Scheduling an Indiana Department of Correction (IDOC) visit through ViaPath? Pay close attention to the time zone. The platform displays all visit times in Eastern Time—even for facilities in Central Time areas.

• 3 min read • in.gov
Schedule IDOC Visits in Eastern Time: Avoid Missing Your Visit

ViaPath shows all IDOC visit times in Eastern Time. This applies even when the facility is in a Central Time area. The time on your screen is Eastern - convert it before planning your drive, arranging childcare, or setting reminders.

Warning: Treating the ViaPath time as your local time without converting can leave you an hour early or an hour late - and you'll miss the visit.

  1. Read the time exactly as shown in ViaPath - assume it’s Eastern Time, even if the facility is in a Central Time area.
  2. Confirm your own time zone before you convert - check the time zone on the device you’ll use for reminders (your phone is usually the easiest reference).
  3. Convert Eastern Time to your local time - use a reliable time-zone converter and translate the scheduled start time into the time you actually need to leave home or log in.
  4. Account for daylight saving time - time differences can shift depending on the season, so don’t rely on what “usually” happens; convert the specific date of your visit.
  5. Set two reminders in local time - one for “get ready/leave” and one for “visit starts,” both based on the converted local time.

Tip: Double-check AM vs. PM after you convert. One wrong tap can turn a morning visit into a no-show.

Schedule IDOC Visits in Eastern Time: Avoid Missing Your Visit

Avoid Missed

  • ✓ Treat every time shown in ViaPath as Eastern Time, then convert it before you plan your day.
  • ✓ Make sure your visitation request is complete: submit the required electronic application through the IDOC ViaPath website.
  • ✓ Set alarms based on the converted local time (and label them “VISIT STARTS” so you don’t second-guess yourself).
  • ✓ Plan to be ready early so you’re not rushing if the time conversion or the day’s schedule trips you up.

Don’t get turned away at the door: Visitors must be registered with a ViaPath account and approved before scheduling in-person or online visits, and anyone age 16+ needs an accepted photo ID (like a valid driver’s license, state photo ID, military ID, passport, or other valid government ID).

Unsure about the time conversion? Don't guess - call the facility. This is especially true if you're traveling from another time zone or scheduling around a holiday or tight work window. Facilities also publish their own visitation procedures, which can help you lock in the right day and time before you commit to the trip.

IDOC facilities must provide incarcerated individuals with written visitation procedures within 24 hours of arrival, so you may hear details directly from your loved one. Still, verify the basics before you go - especially which IDs are accepted for visitors age 16 and older. Don't lose your visit over something preventable.

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