Navigating Michigan DOC Visitor Registrations: Tips to Beat the Paperwork

Q: How do I register to visit someone in Michigan DOC?

First, your incarcerated family member must add you to their approved visitor list — if you are not on that list, your application will not be approved. Then fill out MDOC Visiting Registration Form CAJ-103, available on the Michigan corrections website. You will need your driver's license information, the incarcerated individual's information, any aliases or maiden names, and your address. For children, you must submit a separate application for each child along with copies of their birth certificates to prove parentage. Critically: include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) with your application. You will not receive your approved application back without one — you will only be notified by mail if you are rejected. Do NOT register in the GTL visitor portal until after your application has been approved.

Q: How long does Michigan DOC visitor registration approval take?

Based on direct experience, the process took over a month from submission to approval. An application submitted on April 14, 2023 was approved on May 14th and arrived in the mail on May 20, 2023. The first actual visit did not occur until June 4th after resolving additional GTL portal registration issues. Families should expect the process to take 4 to 8 weeks minimum and should not make travel arrangements until they have received their approved application in the mail.

Q: What is the GTL visitor portal and when should I register?

The GTL visitor portal is the system used to schedule both video and in-person visits with Michigan DOC prisoners. Do NOT register in GTL until after you have received your approved MDOC Visiting Registration Form back in the mail. Registering too early can cause errors that require calling GTL to manually push your registration back through the system. If some family members are approved but others are not showing up in the system, you may need to call or email the facility directly to ensure someone reviews and approves the registration.

Q: What do I need to bring to an in-person Michigan DOC visit with children?

Bring your state-issued ID and original birth certificates for each child. Even for video visits, having these documents ready is important. The night before a scheduled visit, place your ID and the children's birth certificates somewhere visible so you do not forget them. You should also review the in-person visit rules before you go, as dress codes and other requirements apply.

Williams, Rita

Navigating Michigan DOC Visitor Registrations: Tips to Beat the Paperwork

By Rita Williams June 22, 2023

9 Min Read

As if incarceration of a family member wasn’t hard enough, the Michigan DOC finds ways to make things harder for families. The powers-that-be throw you in and expect you to suddenly know everything. Obviously, this is impossible. Sure, there’s a handbook online, but what if you don’t have access to the internet? Why aren’t courts required to provide a copy when they sentence someone to imprisonment? Why aren’t there resources to prepare families before a prison sentence? But I digress. Michigan is still entirely paper-based for visitor registration. Yes, it’s stupid. Yes, they could digitize and automate the process but they haven’t, so we too must play the game.

It is also important to note you are required to fill out a visitor registration for BOTH video and in-person visits.

Step-by-Step: Completing the Michigan DOC Visitor Registration

Michigan DOC Visitor Registration — Complete Process

1 Get on the approved visitor list first. Your spouse or family member must include you on their approved visitor list before you submit anything. If you are not on that list, you will NOT be approved. This step has to happen on their end, inside the facility.

2 Fill out Form CAJ-103. Download and complete the MDOC Visiting Registration Form CAJ-103. You will need your driver’s license information, the incarcerated individual’s information, any aliases or maiden names, and your current address.

3 If you have children, submit a separate form for each child. Include copies of birth certificates for each child to prove parentage. For a family with two children, that means three separate applications total. You will only receive back the approved application for yourself unless you provide a SASE for each.

4 Include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE). This is the step that catches people. You will NOT receive your approved application back in the mail unless you include a SASE. The only mail you will receive without one is a rejection notice. If you want proof of approval in hand, you must include the envelope.

5 Mail it and wait. Do not expect a quick turnaround. Processing takes weeks. Budget 4 to 8 weeks from submission to receiving your approved application in the mail before you can even book a visit.

6 Only THEN register in the GTL Visitor Portal. Do NOT register in the GTL portal until your application has been approved and you have received it back. Registering too early can cause errors that require calling GTL to manually push your registration through again.

7 Troubleshoot directly with GTL and the facility if needed. Be prepared to call GTL more than once. If some family members appear in the system but others don’t, GTL may need to manually push the registration back to the facility. You may also need to contact the facility directly — many Michigan prisons do not have a visitor registration voicemail box set up.

8 Read the visit rules before you go. Both video and in-person visits have rules covering dress codes, prohibited items, and conduct. Read them before your first visit so you do not drive to a facility and get turned away. See the links below.

The SASE Trap — Do Not Miss This

The self-addressed stamped envelope requirement is the most commonly missed step and the most consequential. Without it, you will receive no confirmation that your application was approved. The only mail you will get without a SASE is a rejection letter. If you mail your application without one and are approved, you will have no idea — you will just be waiting indefinitely with no confirmation in hand.

Include a SASE for every applicant in your household. If you are submitting applications for yourself and two children, that means three separate envelopes.

What to Expect: A Real Timeline

I filled out registration to visit my husband the day he moved to a facility where I could visit him. Here is how long the process actually took:

Visitor Registration Timeline — Real Example

April 14, 2023 Application submitted the same day as transfer to a visitable facility

May 14, 2023 Application approved — exactly one month after submission

May 20, 2023 Approved application arrived in the mail

June 4, 2023 First actual visit — after resolving GTL portal registration issues

That is nearly seven weeks from application to first visit — and that is without any major complications. Do not make travel plans, take time off work, or arrange childcare around a visit date until you have your approved application in hand and your GTL registration confirmed.

The GTL Portal: Register at the Right Time

Do NOT Register in GTL Early

DO NOT register in the MI DOC GTL Visitor Portal until your paper application has been approved and you have received it back. Registering before approval can create duplicate or incomplete records that require calling GTL to manually correct.

I had to call GTL twice. During one call, I learned that I had registered too soon and my registration needed to be pushed back through a second time. In another issue, my son was registered in the system but my daughter was not. GTL may need to manually push a registration back to the facility — you may need to follow up by email or phone to make sure someone at the facility reviews and approves it.

Ask Your Incarcerated Loved One to Ask Around

Many Michigan prisons do not have a visitor registration voicemail box set up, which is extremely frustrating. Tapping into others’ experience can save you time and heartache. Ask your incarcerated loved one to ask other incarcerated people at the facility who the right contact is for visitor registration issues. The person with the right answer is often not the person who answers the main line.

Know Before You Go: Official Visit Rules

Read These Before Your First Visit

There are rules for both video and in-person visits covering dress codes, prohibited items, conduct, and ID requirements. Read them before you schedule. Being turned away at the door after driving hours and arranging care for your family is a real possibility if you arrive unprepared.

Video Visit Rules — Michigan DOC (PDF) ?

In-Person Visit Rules — Michigan DOC (PDF) ?

Also save the MDOC Visiting a Prisoner family page as a reference. It is the central hub for forms and updated guidance.

The Night-Before Checklist The night before every visit, place these at your desk or by the door: your state-issued ID, and original birth certificates for each child. Even for video visits, having these documents ready avoids last-minute scrambling. Bring originals — copies are not always accepted for birth certificates.

Related Coverage — Clutch Justice

The Hidden Costs of Arrests: What Families Actually Pay

Barry County Jail ATM: JailATM and the Hidden Cost of Keeping in Touch

Grieving the Imprisonment of a Loved One

Charles Egeler RGC: Problems, Policies, and What Families Need to Know

The Hidden Prison Economy: How Phone Calls, Tablets, and Commissary Cost Michigan Families Millions

How to cite: Williams, R. (2023, June 22). Navigating Michigan DOC Visitor Registrations: Tips to Beat the Paperwork. Clutch Justice. https://clutchjustice.com/2023/06/22/michigan-doc-visitor-app-process/