When and how to schedule Michigan prison visits: the 48-hour rule, 8:00 a.m. release time, and booking tips
Scheduling a Michigan prison visit is straightforward once you understand the timing rules. The key things to know: get approved first, book within the 48-hour minimum and 7-day maximum window, and note that time slots now release at 8:00 a.m.
To schedule an in-person or video visit at a Michigan prison, you'll use the Michigan DOC Visitation Scheduling website hosted by ViaPath (formerly GTL). All visits are by appointment only - you can't show up and get worked in. Here's the catch: your MDOC visiting application must be approved before you can create an account or book anything. That approval is the gatekeeper. If you're planning travel, factor in time for the approval process so you're not scrambling to book a visit you're not yet eligible to schedule.
- ✓ CAJ-334 Visitor List
- ✓ CAJ-103 MDOC Visiting Application
- ✓ CAJ-356 Outreach Volunteer Application
- ✓ CAJ-1069 Visiting Application – Attorney, DHHS (Child Welfare) & SOM Employee
- ✓ CAJ-290 Clothed Body Search of Visitor - Waiver
- ✓ CAJ-1037 LEIN Request
Michigan prison visits have a tight scheduling window. You must book at least 48 hours in advance, but no more than 7 days out. Last-minute trips usually won't work, and planning too far ahead won't either. The easiest approach: pick your date, then count backward at least two full days before trying to lock it in. If you're traveling a long distance, don't wait until you're on the road. Once you're inside that 48-hour window, you may be stuck without an appointment.
Plan ahead: Don’t travel expecting to schedule on the fly - your visit has to be booked at least 48 hours before the visit time.
Starting Oct. 25, 2025, visiting time slots release at 8:00 a.m. instead of midnight. If you're trying to grab a popular day or time, log in and be ready around that release time. Waiting until later in the day often means fewer options.
Each visit has a headcount limit: a maximum of five visitors at a time. Children under two don't count toward that number. Bringing a bigger group? Decide who's attending that specific visit ahead of time so no one gets turned away at check-in.
Good news if you're traveling from out of town: you can schedule up to two separate in-person visits with the same prisoner on the same day. This helps when you're coordinating around work or childcare. Just remember you're booking two distinct appointments, not extending one visit.
- Confirm you’re approved to visit - you can’t create or schedule a visit until MDOC has approved your visiting application.
- Log into the ViaPath scheduler and look for openings - all visits are appointment-only and are scheduled through the Michigan DOC Visitation Scheduling site.
- Time your booking around the rules - schedule no less than 48 hours before the visit and no more than 7 days ahead.
- Be ready at 8:00 a.m. (starting Oct. 25, 2025) - that’s when new visiting time slots are released for scheduling.
- Save your appointment details - keep your confirmation handy so you can verify the date and time before you travel.
Don’t travel until it’s real: Make sure you’re approved and you can see your scheduled appointment in your ViaPath visitation account before you plan the trip.
- ✓ CAJ-334 Visitor List
- ✓ CAJ-103 MDOC Visiting Application
- ✓ CAJ-356 Outreach Volunteer Application
- ✓ CAJ-1069 Visiting Application – Attorney, DHHS (Child Welfare) & SOM Employee
- ✓ CAJ-290 Clothed Body Search of Visitor - Waiver
- ✓ CAJ-1037 LEIN Request
Even after booking within the 48-hour-to-7-day window, confirm the specific facility's visiting schedule and any current restrictions before heading out. A scheduled appointment doesn't guarantee every unit is running visits normally. A quick check can save you a wasted trip.
Visit length check: The ViaPath scheduling portal says a visit “shall not exceed two hours.” Since visit length can be presented differently in other MDOC materials, confirm the expected duration when you schedule and on the facility’s visit information before you go.
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