Visits

Summary: Types of visits, preparing for a visit and visitor bans.

Visits are an important way to stay connected with family, friends and other people in the community.

There are different types of visits, and each prison has its own visit programs and processes. When you arrive at a new prison, you should be told about the types of visits you can have, and how you can organise them.

Your family and friends can also contact your prison themselves to find out what types of visits are available.

For more information on the different types of visits, use these links on the left side of this page:

1. Arranging visits with friends and family
2. Non-contact visits (box visits)
3. Contact visits
4. Residential visiting program (conjugal visits)
5. Video visits
6. Compassionate visits
7. Visiting someone in another prison
8. Visits from professional staff (like psychologists or lawyers)
9. Visits from police officers

How many visits do I get?

Everyone in prison has the right to at least one 30-minute non-contact visit (box visit) per week. Because this is a right, not a privilege, it can’t be taken away. This right comes from section 47(k) of the Corrections Act 1986 (Vic).

If you are eligible for contact visits, you should be allowed at least one 60-minute contact visit per week. This comes from part 3.04 of the Deputy Commissioner’s Instructions.

Professional visits (like from a lawyer or psychologist) are not included in your minimum visit rights.

Preparing for visits

There is important information for visitors to know before they come to see you in prison. For more information, use the links on the left side of this page about:

• What identification do visitors need to bring?
• When can visitors be searched?
• What can I do if the prison won’t let someone visit me?
• Visitor bans