Video Visiting Frequently Asked Questions (For Fire Camps Only)

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

CDCR believes visitation is important to build and maintain family ties and aid in rehabilitation.  In Fiscal Year 2021-2022 the state Legislature approved $20.3 million to expand in-person visiting to three days. While CDCR has since used that funding to provide three days of a hybrid of both in-person and video visiting options. This change move honors our commitment to provide three days of in-person visiting. 

All visiting will be in-person only and weekend video visiting will no longer be available beginning Thursday, July 7, 2023, at all CDCR institutions.

Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Walk-in visits will also be permitted on these days. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays, scheduled through email or phone.

In addition to in-person visiting, there are several other ways for incarcerated people to communicate with their loved ones. 

Incarcerated people are eligible for 15 minutes of free video calls from their tablet every two weeks. Audio calls made from standard institution wall phones and tablets are always free of charge

Individuals are also free to contact any incarcerated person by mail. 

As part of our commitment to increase access to in-person visiting for incarcerated people and their loved ones, we’ve partnered with TransMETRO to provide free bus transportation to all CDCR adult institutions in California. Anyone who has been approved as a visitor by CDCR is able to ride TransMETRO.  

Buses depart Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday from Central, Southern, Northern, and Bay Area regions. Each region schedules service to all institutions on a rotating basis. All trips are subject to change based on demand and health and safety factors. Visit our website for full program information and to register for services.  

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

In-person visits at California Health Care Facility-Stockton (CHCF) may be made beginning Saturday at 8 a.m. through Monday at 8 a.m. on the week of the proposed visit by emailing the institution directly at CHCFVideoVisiting@cdcr.ca.gov or through the Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Please see the Facility Status Page for CHCF-specific visiting instructions.

Approved visitors must use the Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA) to schedule video visits unless otherwise noted. VSA is easy to use and gives users instant confirmation of their request. Only those individuals who have already been approved as a visitor may make an appointment at institutions.

CDCR uses staggered start times for scheduling visits. Visitors will need to schedule visits at the time designated for the institution in which their loved one is housed. Staggered start times will be separated by region: Northern, Central and Southern.

Northern Region

The VSA request period will open from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. for the following institutions in the Northern region:

California Correctional Center
Central California Women’s Facility
California Health Care Facility
California Medical Facility
California State Prison – Sacramento
California State Prison – Solano
Folsom State Prison
High Desert State Prison
Mule Creek State Prison
Pelican Bay State Prison
Sierra Conservation Center
San Quentin State Prison
Valley State Prison

Central Region

The VSA request period will open from 6:30 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. for the following institutions in the Central region:

Avenal State Prison
California Correctional Institution
California Men’s Colony
California State Prison – Corcoran
Correctional Training Facility
Kern Valley State Prison
North Kern State Prison
Pleasant Valley State Prison
Substance Abuse Treatment Facility and State Prison – Corcoran
Salinas Valley State Prison
Wasco State Prison

Southern Region

The VSA request period will open from 7 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. for the following institutions in the Central region:

California City Correctional Facility
Calipatria State Prison
Centinela State Prison
California Institution for Men
California Institution for Women
California Rehabilitation Center
California State Prison – Los Angeles County
Chuckawalla Valley State Prison
Ironwood State Prison
Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility

The request period begins eight days prior to the visitation day and closes five days prior to the visitation day. See the table below for examples.

Day of Visit	Request Window Opens	Request Window Closes
Friday, December 17	Northern: 6 a.m. Central: 6:30 a.m. Southern: 7 a.m. Thursday, December 9	11:59 PM Sunday, December 12
Saturday, December 18	Northern: 6 a.m. Central: 6:30 a.m. Southern: 7 a.m. Friday, December 10	11:59 PM Monday, December 13
Sunday, December 19	Northern: 6 a.m. Central: 6:30 a.m. Southern: 7 a.m. Saturday, December 11	11:59 PM Tuesday, December 14

Connectivity issues will not allow CDCR to offer VSA to schedule fire camp video or in-person visits.

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting. Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of that date.

Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting. Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone as detailed on the Scheduling Visits at Conservation (Fire) Camps page.

Camps in “Open Phase” of the Roadmap to Reopening will offer in-person visiting sessions of any length between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. to no more than five approved visitors per incarcerated person.

Please note: Because fire crew member(s) can be activated on short notice, visitors should call and/or email the camp directly for updates before traveling.

CDCR will continue to provide ways to communicate with friends and family through tablets and phone calls. Incarcerated people with tablets are eligible for 15 minutes of free video calls from their tablet every two weeks. Audio calls made from standard institution wall phones and tablets are always free of charge.

Only Conservation Camps accept visiting requests via email. Visitors MUST include the following information when emailing a request for a video visit:

Full name of incarcerated person
CDCR number of incarcerated person
Approved visitor(s) full name(s)
Date of Birth of approved visitor(s)
Valid identification type and number of visitor(s)
Relationship to the incarcerated person
Email address of visitor(s)
Phone number of visitor(s)

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

Approved visitors must go to the Visitation Scheduling website using the following link to open the Visitation Scheduling Application: https://cdcr.gtlvisitme.com/app. First-time users must establish an account by selecting the Claim Account button. Accounts can only be claimed using a desktop computer at this time. You will then be asked to provide your first name, last name, and date of birth to validate that you are an approved visitor.

You cannot create an account and use the application unless you have already gone through the CDCR visitor approval process. Once you have entered the information requested, select Next. You will then be asked to enter in a valid email address that will also serve as your username. After entering in your email, select Next. The next screen will ask you to verify the information you entered and verify you are not a Robot. Once this is completed, select the Finish button to complete the process. You will receive an email with your account information and temporary password. After you receive your temporary password, go back to the website and enter in your email address that was used to set up your account and the temporary password. Select Log on button and it will ask you to create a new password. It is very important that you remember your password. Select the Update button after entering in your new password and confirming it. This will take you to your Home page on the Visitation Scheduling Application. You will only have to do this process once. After your account is successfully established, you will just simply go to the website and login as an existing user. You are now ready to schedule a video visit.

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

To schedule a video visit you will need to go to the Visitation Scheduling Application at the following link https://cdcr.gtlvisitme.com/app. Log into the application using your account username and password if you are an existing user. If you are a new user, please refer to the FAQ “How do I get access to the Visitation Scheduling Application and what do I need to do to use the application to schedule a video visitation appointment?” You can refer to the Visitor’s Quick Reference Guide on how to schedule a video visit on the CDCR Website [place the link here to the CDCR website). The application will allow you to schedule a time slot that is available for your video visit. Most visits will be available between 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday or Sunday, so be sure that you are available during these times to make sure you can make your assigned appointment time.

Each video visit is one hour long.

There are no limits to the amount of visits a visitor may schedule; however, incarcerated persons are only allowed one visit per day, either in-person or video. All visiting will be determined based on availability and health and safety considerations.

Important note:

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

The VSA system will allow approved visitors to easily schedule their own video visits and receive instant confirmation of their request. A subsequent email from Webex will follow, indicating the confirmed date and time of visit, as well as instructions on how to join the meeting from a computer or mobile device.

Important note:

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

Visitors will receive an email confirming the appointment within 48-72 hours after the request is made. Additionally, you will receive a link to a Cisco Webex meeting indicating scheduled date and time and instructions on how to join the meeting from a computer or a mobile device. Be sure to check your spam/junk folder if you don’t see this email.

Important note:

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

Approved visitors who do not receive a video visit will need to resubmit a request at the next eligibility date. There are no limits to the amount of visits a visitor may schedule; however, incarcerated persons are only allowed one visit per day, either in-person or video. All visiting will be determined based on availability and health and safety considerations. It is your loved one’s responsibility to inform approved visitors of their next eligibility date.

Important note:

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

Please see the Webex step-by-step guide to video visits available on our website. CDCR is unable to provide any further technical instruction to the public on the use of the technology. It is recommended that you ensure you have access to the software before your video visit.

There are no limits to the amount of visits a visitor may schedule; however, incarcerated persons are only allowed one visit per day, either in-person or video. All visiting will be determined based on availability and health and safety considerations.

Important note:

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

To accommodate the limited visiting schedule, all visits will begin at the scheduled appointment time, with no exceptions.

Yes, but using the restroom during a video visit will not stop the visiting appointment time. The 60-minute timeline will begin and end at the scheduled appointment times. Mobile devices when used by visitors may not accompany the visitor to the restroom during the video visit. Misconduct by any party during a visit will result in termination of the video visit, and may include disciplinary action and/or visitor suspensions.

There is absolutely NO recording of video visits. Any visitors caught violating these restrictions may have their visiting privileges suspended.

If the video visit does not connect for any reason, that information shall be documented and forwarded to the scheduler(s) and the incarcerated person will continue to be eligible to receive future video visits as early as the next weekend.

If trying to connect on a laptop, ensure the laptop has camera capabilities.
Ensure your mute button is in the “off” position.
Ensure your device’s volume is turned up.

There is no maximum amount of approved visitors per request. All visitors are required to show identification before the video visit can begin. Keep in mind that verifying multiple visitors may decrease the amount of time spent seeing and speaking with your incarcerated loved one. It is highly recommended to not exceed five approved visitors per video visit. To accommodate the limited visiting schedule, all visits will begin at the scheduled appointment time, with no exceptions.

Important note:

Beginning Saturday, July 7, 2023, institutions statewide will move to three days of in-person weekend visiting.

Weekend video visiting will no longer be offered at any adult institution as of July 7, 2023. Conservation camps will continue hybrid video visiting and in-person on Saturdays and Sundays as they do not have three days of visiting.

In-person visiting will be offered every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at all adult institutions and will continue to be scheduled online through the Department’s Visitation Scheduling Application (VSA). Camp visits are scheduled through email or phone.

After you have followed the steps at https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/visitors/how-to-use-webex-to-join-a-video-visit/ , and still require assistance with setting up a device and/or assistance in scheduling an appointment for a video visit, please contact the Visiting Sergeant at the institution in which you would like to schedule a video visit. You can find the Visiting Sergeant here: https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/visitors/visiting-sergeant-lieutenant-phone-list/.

It is the responsibility of the requestor to ensure all approved visitors are added to the request. Staff are directed to be permissive to the possibility that others may at some point enter the video visit; however, inappropriate or illegal activity will not be tolerated.

Yes. In order to reduce noise levels in video visiting areas and aid the hearing impaired, all incarcerated people are authorized to bring their personal earphones/headphones to their scheduled visit. They will be required to disinfect them prior to connecting them to the computer. Staff will direct individuals when and where to connect. Institutions have also been instructed to ensure canteens are well-stocked with earphones for purchase.

No, the visitor must schedule separate visiting request with the incarcerated individuals.

During this pandemic, it is the responsibility of CDCR to ensure consistent application of adherence to government orders, policies and procedures in order to provide for the safety and security of all who live in, work in, and visit state prisons.

Visits will be limited to all eligible incarcerated persons.
All incarcerated individuals will be screened prior to leaving their housing unit.
All persons in the visiting area must wear masks that cover the nose and mouth.
Each video visit shall be 60-minutes.
Laptops and desktop computers will be set-up in designated visiting areas for the incarcerated population to access. Those areas will follow all safety guidelines, including physical distancing.
Disinfection and sanitation cleaning between appointments.

To maintain order, individual safety, the security of the institutions/facility, and operations, the rules established in California Code of Regulations, Title 15, Article 7 Visiting, shall apply during all video visits. Please ensure proper dress attire is adhered to, with the exception of color restrictions, which are not applicable for video visits. Misconduct by any party during a visit will result in termination of the video visit, and may include disciplinary action and/or visitor suspensions. CDCR’s comprehensive guidelines for visiting are available at https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/visitors/inmate-visiting-guidelines/

Any incarcerated person who violates COVID-19 guidelines will have their visit immediately terminated and will not be allowed to reschedule another visit for that month. Repeated violations of COVID-19 guidelines may result in the suspension of visiting and/or lead to disciplinary action.