Weekend Visit Deadlines at Valdosta State Prison: Why Wednesday at 5 PM Matters
Planning a weekend visit at Valdosta State Prison? One deadline matters more than almost anything else: your request must be in by Wednesday at 5:00 PM.
The cutoff is firm: submit your request by 5:00 PM on Wednesday of the same week. Miss that window - even by a few hours - and you're out of luck for that weekend.
State holidays work differently. You need to submit your request by 5:00 PM three days before the holiday. That deadline sneaks up fast, especially when a holiday falls right after a weekend. Count backward and set a calendar reminder - it's easy to miscalculate.
Why do these cutoffs matter so much? General population visitation happens on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM - the days families plan around. The Wednesday 5:00 PM deadline (or the three-days-before rule for holidays) determines whether you get a slot.
Note: Tier visitation runs on a separate schedule - Mondays and Wednesdays (excluding state holidays), from 8:30 AM to 2:30 PM, and it’s scheduled by appointment 24 hours prior. The Wednesday 5:00 PM cutoff discussed above is about weekend requests, not Tier appointments.
- Pull up your existing scheduled visit - if you already have a visitation appointment and your plans changed, start by locating the scheduled visit.
- Use the GDC “Add Visitor” option if you need to add someone - the GDC site provides an “Add Visitor” link specifically for finding a scheduled visitation and adding additional visitors to that scheduled visit.
- Find the visit you scheduled - if you’re not going to make it, locate the existing appointment first.
- Cancel through the GDC “Cancel” option - the GDC site provides a “Cancel” link so you can find and cancel your scheduled visitation.
Missed the Wednesday 5:00 PM cutoff? Focus on what you can control now. Check whether you have an existing visit that can be adjusted. Make sure everyone in your group is accounted for - or removed - so you're not scrambling later. And if you're unsure which deadline applies (weekend, holiday, or Tier appointment), get clarification before you drive out. You don't want to be turned away after a long trip.
Practical Tips
- ✓ Put “Wednesday 5:00 PM” on your weekly calendar as your personal latest-safe time to request weekend visitation
- ✓ For state holidays, count back three days and set a second reminder for that 5:00 PM cutoff
- ✓ Submit your request earlier than you think you need to (aim for Monday or Tuesday when possible)
- ✓ Double-check the offender ID (GDC ID) and your visitor details before you hit submit
- ✓ Keep a record of what you submitted (confirmation message, email, or a screenshot) so you can reference it later if needed
Reminder: The official guidance spells out the cutoffs but doesn't mention late exceptions. Treat these deadlines as firm and plan around them.
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