How to Fill Out and Submit the GDC Visitation Request Form

To visit someone in a Georgia prison, you need to complete the GDC visitation request form — officially the Application for Visitation Privilege — and mail it, along with a copy of your photo ID and any required supporting documents, to the visitation office at the facility where the inmate is housed.¹ Every prospective visitor must submit one, regardless of age, and the Georgia Department of Corrections does not accept the form by email.

What to Gather Before You Start

Two pieces of information about the inmate have to be in hand before the form will do you any good: their full legal name as it appears in GDC records, and their GDC identification number. The GDC ID is the tracking number assigned to every incarcerated person in the state system, and the application will not process correctly without it. You also need to know which facility currently houses the inmate, because the completed form goes directly to that institution.

The GDC runs a free online offender search where you can look up any adult in a state facility by name, GDC ID, case number, or age.² The results show the inmate’s assigned facility, which tells you where to send the paperwork. If you can’t get online, the inmate can request that a blank form be mailed to you and can include their GDC number and the facility’s address in the letter.

Filling Out the Application

The Application for Visitation Privilege is a single-page PDF available on the GDC’s “Visit an Inmate” page.¹ Print it, and complete every field in ink. Write legibly. A background check that stalls because a staff member can’t read your handwriting just pushes everything back.

The form asks for the following:³

Your legal name exactly as it appears on your government-issued ID
Social Security number (used for identity verification and the criminal background check)
Date of birth in month/day/year format
Residential address — your current physical address, not a P.O. box
Driver’s license or state ID number
The inmate’s full name and GDC number
Your actual relationship to the inmate (spouse, parent, sibling, friend, and so on)

Criminal History Disclosure

The form asks whether you have ever been convicted of a crime. If you answer yes, list each conviction with its nature, date, county, state, and the sentence received. There is space to attach an additional sheet if you need more room.³ Don’t skip or downplay anything. A conviction that surfaces in the background check but is missing from the form is treated as a lie, and lying on the application is itself a listed ground for denial.⁴

Signature and Authorization

Signing the form authorizes the GDC to pull your criminal history from the National Crime Information Center and the Georgia Crime Information Center databases.³ The form itself warns that incomplete or inaccurate information can result in denial. Check every field before you sign; a correction after submission typically means starting over.

If the applicant is under 18, a parent or legal guardian must also sign.³

Supporting Documents to Include

The form alone isn’t enough. At minimum, include a copy of your photo ID. Depending on your relationship to the inmate, you may also need to include a copy of your marriage license or birth certificate.¹

Any consent form included with the application has to be notarized before the GDC will process it. This matters most for minors, where a custodial parent or guardian’s consent is required. Handle the notarization before you mail anything; an un-notarized consent form won’t be accepted.¹

Where to Mail It

Send the completed form and all supporting documents to the visitation office at the facility currently housing the inmate. The GDC does not accept applications by email.¹ You can find the facility’s mailing address through the offender search results or on the GDC’s list of facilities. Confirm you’re sending it to the right institution. Inmates transfer, and a form mailed to the wrong prison will sit there.

What Happens After You Mail It

The GDC runs the background check using the information and authorization on your form. For changes to an existing visitor list, department policy requires a decision to be made and returned to the inmate within fourteen working days.⁵ Initial applications may take longer depending on the facility’s caseload, so leave extra time before planning a trip.

Once a decision is made, the inmate is notified and is the one responsible for passing the result along to you.⁵ If you’re approved, your name goes on the inmate’s visitor list and stays there as long as you follow the department’s rules.

If You’re Denied

The visitation policy spells out specific grounds for denial, including lying or omitting information on the application.⁴ A criminal record does not automatically disqualify you; the GDC evaluates the nature and severity of the offense. Some situations, such as being on active probation or parole, make approval unlikely.

You have 30 days to appeal a denial in writing to the Regional Director.⁴ Include documentation that speaks to the reason for denial. If you were turned down over an outdated probation status, for example, send proof that you’ve completed your sentence. The inmate can also pursue the matter independently through the facility’s internal grievance process.

Before You Actually Visit

Approval only puts you on the list. Each visit still has to be scheduled in advance, and the GDC enforces a strict dress code at the door; visitors who show up out of compliance are turned away.⁶ Review the facility’s visiting hours and scheduling windows before you drive out.

1
Georgia Department of Corrections. Visit an Inmate
2
Georgia.gov. Find an Offender
3
Georgia Department of Corrections. Application for Visitation Privilege
4
Georgia Department of Corrections. Visitation Policy
5
Georgia Department of Corrections. Visitation
6
Georgia Department of Corrections. VisitationSubject 125-3-4 Visitation