On this page

  • Phone calls

  • Video visits

 

For a person in prison, staying in contact with friends and family is an important way to keep social connections. It can help them adjust to prison life, promote mental health and reduce their chances of going back to prison after release. 

Note: The information on this page is designed for friends and family of prisoners. If you’re a professional visitor, such as a lawyer, see information about professional visits.

Phone calls

People in prison can make phone calls to family, friends, legal professionals and other services. 

They cannot receive phone calls.  

To get phone calls from a person in prison, they must add you to their phone list first. (They have access to instructions and help to do this.) 

Phone list

A phone list is the list of phone numbers the person in prison can call.  

They can have a maximum of 20 phone numbers on their phone list at any one time.

You must be on the person’s phone list before they can call you.  

To get on a phone list:

  1. Write to the person in prison and ask them to add you.
  2. The prison will contact you to confirm your phone number and ask you if you agree to receive phone calls from the prisoner.
  3. If you agree, you will be placed on the person in prison’s phone list.
  4. The person in prison can call you. 

Call time limits

All phone calls are limited to 12 minutes per call. 

Call costs

People in prison must pay for most phone calls. Calls to landlines are cheaper than calls to mobile phones. Specific rates for STD calls will depend on your location.  

Some phone calls are free, including calls to:

  • Victorian Ombudsman  
  • Health Services Commissioner.

People in prison pay for phone calls out of their phone account. Learn more about prisoner money.

People in prison can receive money for their phone account from friends and family. Learn how to send money to a person in prison. 

Recording and monitoring of phone calls

Phone calls with people in prison are recorded and monitored, except for calls to exempt people and organisations. 

 

People and organisations exempt from call monitoring and recording

  • Members of Parliament
  • Victorian Ombudsman
  • Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC)
  • Victorian Inspectorate
  • Health Complaints Commissioner
  • Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission
  • Victorian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commissioner
  • Australian Human Rights Commission
  • Victorian Information Commissioner
  • Diplomatic or consular staff
  • A legal practitioner or para-legal representing the prisoner
  • Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
  • A public interest monitor appointed under the Public Interest Monitor Act 2011
  • Victorian Electoral Commission
  • Law enforcement agencies in Australia (such as Victoria Police, Australian Federal Police, Australian Crime Commission)
  • Corruption and crime commissions in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia
  • A person authorised to act on behalf of a person or body referred to in this list 

Get help with phone calls

If you have questions or need help about phone calls with someone in prison, contact the specific prison. Contact information for each prison can be found via the list of prisons in Victoria.

Video visits

For family and friends, video visits are a convenient way to visit someone in prison without needing to travel. 

Requirements

To have video visits with someone who’s in prison, you must be on their visit list. 

Visit lists

A person in prison’s visit list is the list of people who are approved to visit them.  

You must be on the person in prison’s visit list before you can:  

To get on a person in prison’s visit list, write to the person in prison and ask them to add you. 

Booking a video visit

Video visits are booked by the person in prison.  

Video visit schedules are different at each prison. 

You can find out more about video visit bookings and times by speaking to the person in prison on the phone. 

Video visit terms and conditions

At the start of your video visit, the terms and conditions will be displayed on the screen. 

Please read and understand the terms and conditions before agreeing to them.  

You must agree to these terms and conditions to continue with the visit.

Using Zoom

All prisons in Victoria use Zoom for video visits.  

Install the Zoom app on your phone, tablet or computer before the visit. 

At the time of the visit you’ll get a phone call, text message or email with instructions on joining the video call. 

Read the guide for visitors on how to access, set up and receive Zoom video calls. 

If Zoom is not available in your country, please inform the prison. Find contact details for each prison using the list of prisons in Victoria. 

Proving your identity

You must show 100 points of identification (ID) every time you participate in a video visit.  

If you do not have enough ID, you will not be allowed to have the video visit.

 

Showing 100 points of identification (ID)

To prove your identity, you usually need 100 points of ID. The ID items you use must be current (not expired).

The most common ID item to use is a driver licence. A driver licence is worth 100 points, so it would be the only item you need.  

If you do not have any of the items in the 100-points category, you can use either:

  • two items from the 50-points category (50 + 50 = 100 points)
  • one item from the 50-points category and two items from the 25-points category (50 + 25 + 25 = 100 points)

Using four items from the 25-points category is not allowed. 

Items worth 100 points

  • Victorian driver licence
  • Correctional Services pass
  • Consulate ID card
  • Valid passport
  • Working With Children Check card
  • Firearms licence
  • Key Pass
  • Police member ID
  • Ombudsman’s photo ID pass
  • Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission ID
  • Proof of Age card
  • Australian Board Force identification card
  • Victorian Government ID

Items worth 50 points 

  • Law card
  • Birth certificate
  • Marriage certificate
  • Australian citizenship certificate
  • Immigration card
  • Defence Department ID
  • Government authorised under-16 years card
  • Australia interstate digital drivers licence (including digital driver licence) 

Items worth 25 points

  • Medicare card
  • Health care card
  • Student card
  • Credit card
  • Bank book
  • Senior's card 

If you cannot meet the ID requirements, contact corrections@justice.vic.gov.au (External link) or call 1300 191 835 (External link). 

Recording and monitoring of video visits

Video visits between a person in prison and their family and friends will be recorded and monitored. This is to improve the safety and security of prisons. (Video visits with professional visitors, such as lawyers, are not recorded.) 

When recording starts, you will see a message on screen to tell you the call is being recorded and may be monitored. 

If you agree, the video visit will begin. 

If you do not agree to being recorded, the video visit will end. 

A recording symbol will appear to all people on the call. 

Get help with video visits

If you have questions or need help with video visits, contact the specific prison. Contact information can be found in the list of prisons in Victoria.

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