How to Schedule Your First Visit with Someone in a Georgia Department of Corrections Facility

Scheduling your first visit with someone in a Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) facility takes two steps. First, fill out the Visitation Request Form and submit it to the facility where your loved one is housed - this gets you on the approved visitor list. Once approved, you'll submit a separate request to schedule an actual visit date and time.

Before you start, gather your ID details. The form asks you to select an ID type, and you must be 18 or older to choose Driver's License or State ID.

Watch the deadlines. Weekend visit requests must be submitted by 5:00 PM on Wednesday of the same week. State holiday requests? The cutoff is 5:00 PM three days before the holiday - don't wait until the last minute.

First, get yourself approved. Fill out the Visitation Request Form and submit it to the facility where your loved one is incarcerated. You can't request a visit until this approval comes through.

Once approved, you'll request a specific visit date. This is a separate submission through the department's visitation form - not the same form you used to get approved.

1. Confirm you’ve completed the approval step - the first requirement is the Visitation Request Form submitted to the facility where your loved one is incarcerated.
2. Open the scheduled-visit request form - this is the department form used to request an actual visit time.
3. Fill out the request carefully - enter the requested information and double-check it before you submit.
4. Submit your visit request - once it’s submitted, keep track of what you entered so you can reference it later if you need to add visitors or cancel.

Missing the cutoff window is the most common reason people miss their first visit. Weekend requests must be in by 5:00 PM Wednesday of that same week. Holiday visits have an even tighter window - 5:00 PM three days before the holiday. That deadline sneaks up fast, especially when offices are closed or you're traveling.

Plans change. If you need to add visitors to an existing appointment, use the "Add Visitor" link on the visitation site to locate your scheduled visit and add people. Need to cancel? Use the cancel link on the same site to find and cancel your visit.

1. Find your scheduled visit - use the visitation site tools to locate the appointment you already scheduled.
2. Add someone to an existing visit (if needed) - use the “Add Visitor” link to add additional visitors to that scheduled visit.
3. Cancel if you can’t make it - use the site’s cancel option to find and cancel your scheduled visitation.
4. Try again with a new request - once you’ve added or canceled as needed, submit your next scheduled-visit request through the department’s visitation form.

Quick Checklist

• ✓ Completed the Visitation Request Form and submitted it to the facility where your loved one is incarcerated
• ✓ Ready to submit your scheduled-visit request through the department’s visitation form
• ✓ Have your ID type information ready (and you’re 18+ if selecting Driver’s License or State ID)
• ✓ If you want a weekend visit, you’re submitting by 5:00 PM Wednesday of the same week
• ✓ If you want a state-holiday visit, you’re submitting by 5:00 PM three days before the holiday