Visiting in Minnesota (MN DOC)
How to get on a Minnesota prison's approved visitor list, how the visitor application is filed, the video-visit option through JPay Video Connect, and where someone first enters the system.
Getting on the approved visitor list
No one may visit a Minnesota prison until they are an approved visitor. Each prospective visitor completes a visitor application and passes a review before being added to an incarcerated person’s approved list.
Minnesota processes visitor applications through a central intake at MCF-Rush City. Completed applications are mailed there rather than to the facility where the person is housed.
The incarcerated person is notified once a visitor is added to the approved list. The current application form, the mailing address for MCF-Rush City, any online option, and the time the review takes are listed on the Minnesota DOC visiting page.
Scheduling a visit
Scheduling arrangements differ from one facility to the next, and some details are set at the facility level. The general sequence is the same across the system:
- Confirm the visitor is approved and on the incarcerated person’s list.
- Confirm the current visiting days, hours, and any scheduling requirement for the specific facility where the person is housed.
- Arrive with a government-issued photo ID within the facility’s visiting hours.
Video visits
Minnesota offers remote video visits through JPay Video Connect. Video sessions are scheduled and held through the JPay app or website and are separate from any in-person visit. Whether a facility offers video, in person, or both, and any session details, are confirmed on the Minnesota DOC visiting page and with the facility.
Visiting days, hours, and visit type
Visiting days and hours are set by each facility, and whether a visit is contact or non-contact depends on the facility, the security level, and the housing unit. The Minnesota DOC visiting page lists the schedule and the visit type for each facility; these are confirmed there and with the facility before traveling.
ID, dress, and what visitors may bring
A current, government-issued photo ID is required to enter any Minnesota facility. Visitors are generally expected to wear modest dress and to bring only minimal personal items into the visiting area; phones and other electronics are typically secured outside.
The exact dress code, the list of items allowed inside, and any limit on the number of visitors are set by the facility and change over time. These details are confirmed on the Minnesota DOC visiting page and with the specific facility.
Reception and where someone enters the system
Where a person first enters the Minnesota prison system depends on their gender:
- Men: newly sentenced men enter through MCF-St. Cloud, the statewide men’s reception and intake facility, which classifies people before transfer.
- Women: newly sentenced women enter through MCF-Shakopee, Minnesota’s only women’s prison, which houses the women’s intake unit.
Families are not notified of routine transfers. The Minnesota DOC offender locator shows a person’s current location. See Transfers & Finding Someone.
Verify Before Acting
Sources
This page is compiled from the following publicly available sources. Policies change without notice — confirm current details with the facility before relying on them.