Illness and Visiting: Please do not visit a facility if you are feeling sick. When coming to visit, you will need to self-screen for symptoms upon arrival. Visiting is subject to close at a facility should there be infection concerns and heightened mitigation measures in place.
Visiting is closed at these facilities
In-Person Visiting is open at these facilities:
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The longstanding visitation policy remains in effect. But due to staffing, some modifications have been made.
Online Scheduling Option
Scheduling visits with your loved one is easy and efficient. We offer a web-based scheduling system similar to what many health care systems use to schedule appointments. This system offers an easier, more efficient scheduling option. The system allows you to search available dates and times for visiting. Each DOC facility has a link on its visiting page of the DOC’s website. This link takes you to the scheduling system. You can also still call a facility to schedule visits just as you have always been able to do. When using the “No Wait Inside” scheduling system, you can click an arrived button through your confirmation email/text. This will notify facility staff of your arrival in the parking lot. They will then send you a confirmation of when you can enter the facility lobby for your visit. This offers a better experience for families and friends visiting their loved ones, as well as creating a more efficient scheduling system for staff. The addition of this scheduling tool doesn’t change any of the visiting procedures or rules.
Phone numbers for scheduling visits:
Thanks for your interest in visiting an incarcerated person at our facilities. Visiting maintains healthy family relationships and community connections. Visiting can help incarcerated people build support networks they will need after release. Research has shown that positive interactions with friends and family during incarceration can help people succeed after they return to their communities.
For these positive interactions to occur, the visiting room must be a secure environment where incarcerated people and families can feel safe. To maintain this environment, incarcerated people and visitors are required to obey the rules of the visiting room. Failure to do so may result in warning, termination of visits, placement on non-contact visiting status, suspension, or revocation of the visiting privilege.
Each facility has an established visiting schedule. Click below for visiting hours.
MCF-Faribault
MCF-Lino Lakes
MCF-Oak Park Heights
MCF-Red Wing (Adult)
MCF-Red Wing (Juvenile)
MCF-Rush City
MCF-St. Cloud
MCF-Shakopee
MCF-Stillwater
MCF-Willow River/Moose Lake
Challenge Incarceration Program (CIP) - Willow River
Challenge Incarceration Program (CIP) - MCF-Togo
There is no visiting on the following State recognized holidays*:
*Willow River and Togo Challenge Incarceration Program participants may have visitors on holidays IF the holiday falls on a regularly-scheduled visiting day.
Minneapolis Public Transportation
Minnesota Valley Transit Authority
Statewide Visiting Room Rules (English)
Reglas de la Sala de Visitas en Todo el Estado (Spanish)
Visiting Restrictions for Visitors (English)
Restricciones de Visita para los Visitantes (Spanish)
Visiting Restrictions for Offenders (English)
Restricciones de Visita para los Delincuentes (Spanish)
MCF-Rush city is piloting an electronic visiting application process. This electronic visiting application is ONLY for those visiting at Rush City. Please use the following link to complete your visiting application: https://mngov.formstack.com/forms/doc_visiting_privilege_application
MCF-Rush city está poniendo a prueba un proceso de solicitud de visitas electrónicas. Esta aplicación de visita electrónica es SÓLO para quienes visitan Rush City. Utilice el siguiente enlace para completar su solicitud de visita: https://mngov.formstack.com/forms/doc_visiting_privilege_application_spanish
Notice: Starting December 2, 2024, MCF-Rush City will pilot an electronic visiting application process, streamlining approvals and eliminating postage costs for applicants—Read the full memo here.
Aviso: a partir del 2 de diciembre de 2024, MCF-Rush City pondrá a prueba un proceso de solicitud de visita electrónica, agilizando las aprobaciones y eliminando los costos de envío para los solicitantes—Lea el memorando completo aquí.
Visitors to all other facilities must print off an application and mail to MCF-Rush City. No email or faxed applications will be accepted.
Visiting Privilege Application Form - Fillable Online (English)
Solicitud de Privilegio de Visita (Spanish)
Notarized Minor Escort Authorization (English)
Autorización de Acompañantes Menores Notarizados (Spanish)
DOC facilities will only accept a 01/2020 or newer visiting application form. Using old applications causes a delay in the processing time and will result in the application being denied. Please be advised there are multiple outdated visiting applications on other websites not supported be the DOC.
If you have questions about the visiting applications, please contact the Rush City Visiting Unit at 320-358-0466.
No information concerning an incarcerated person's visiting list will be given over the phone. Anyone wishing to have information will need to present picture ID at any MCF location.
*Be advised that visiting status cannot be disclosed over the phone. *Whether you have been approved or denied.
Applications take several weeks to process once the application has been received in the visiting unit. Your patience is appreciated.*
The current processing time for visiting applications is 7 weeks from the date the Visiting Administration Unit (VAU) receives the application. VAU is currently processing applications received the week of September 30th, 2024. Processing times are now within the normal 6-8 week timeframe. VAU staff are continuing to work to reduce processing times to get below six weeks.
The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) policy is that if there is an active protective order or no contact directive between the applicant and incarcerated individual, visitation is prohibited.
Victim Services & Restorative Justice Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What led to the current policy?
In 2016, the Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) changed longstanding policy and established a complete visitation prohibition for anyone identified as a victim of an incarcerated person’s active/current offense. Five years after the change, it became clear that a blanket prohibition failed to fulfill the intended purpose and actually impeded the rehabilitation process in some cases. As this shortcoming became clear, the five statewide coalitions representing victims requested a complete repeal of the policy.
With that request and the input of those impacted by the policy, the DOC decided to revert back to the previous longstanding policy and not deny visiting privileges solely because an applicant is identified as a victim of an incarcerated person’s active/current offense.
2. What is a protective order?
A protective order is ordered by a judge or referee, restricting contact between the incarcerated person and the party(ies) identified. Protective orders include:
• Harassment/Restraining Order (HRO): MN Statute 609.748. Civil court order utilized for contact restrictions where no significant relationship is required between the parties identified in the order.
• Order for Protection (OFP): MN Statute 518B.01. Family court order utilized for contact restrictions when a significant relationship is present.
• Domestic Abuse No Contact Order (DANCO): MN Statute 629.75. Criminal court order utilized for contact restrictions during the course of criminal proceedings and/or probation for domestic abuse, harassment/stalking of a household member or a violation of OFP or prior DANCO.
3. How does a protective order or no contact directive affect video visiting?
Protective order conditions can vary. Typically, no contact is allowed and that likely includes video visits, unless a court has explicitly directed that contact can occur while incarcerated. If a visitor is not approved to visit, they are not allowed to participate in video visiting.
4. Can my children continue to visit if I am no longer able to?
Yes. If your children are approved visitors and are not documented as a victim/petitioner on any protective order, they can be approved to visit. However, you cannot escort them for the visit. You must follow the standard minor visitation process and complete the Minor Escort Authorization form granting permission for up to three specified adults to escort the minor(s) for the visit. The specified adult must be on the incarcerated person’s approved visit list.
Please visit the Minnesota Department of Corrections website, click on ‘For Victims’ on the top of the page, for additional information.
Victim Services and Restorative Justice Program staff is available at 651.361.7250 or 1.800.657.3830 or victimassistance.doc@state.mn.us
