We understand that coming to visit someone in prison can be stressful and a daunting prospect. We strive to make your visit to HMP Kilmarnock as straight forward as we can.

The Outside Visits Hub offers a welcoming and supportive environment, particularly for first time visitors who are unsure of prison procedures.

Everyone attending the prison for a visit must book in at the Hub, located next to the prison’s entrance.

It is recommended that all visitors arrive at the Outside Visits Hub between 15 – 30 minutes prior to the start of their booked visits session. This is to allow sufficient time to be booked in and have any relevant fingerprints/ photographs taken and to allow adequate time to be searched on entry to the establishment. The cut off time for entry to a visit session will be the scheduled start time of that session, e.g. if the visit is scheduled to start at 13:15, anyone who arrives after this time will be denied entry to the establishment.

The toilet facilities include a disabled toilet and baby changing facilities. An enclosed children’s play area is situated outside.

All visitors will be asked to remove footwear, outdoor jackets, hooded tops, any metallic items and any other items from their pockets. These will be passed through an X-Ray Machine, and you will be asked to pass through a metal detecting portal and be subject to a rub-down search.

Additionally, the search procedure may incorporate the use of an Ion Spectrometer and passive drug dogs.

Once the search process has been completed you will be allocated a table number and will be asked to enter into the visit hall. At the end of a visit a member of staff will inform visitors that their time has elapsed, and you will be asked to exit.

In the visit hall, there are Family Contact Officer’s available throughout your visit if you require any information or have any concerns please feel free to speak to them. There are toilet facilities including disabled toilets and baby changing facilities as well as a children’s play area.

To gain access to the establishment for the purpose of visiting, you must have two forms of identification, one of which must be photographic ID, the other being proof of address.

Entry to the establishment will not be permitted without acceptable identification.

The following examples shall be accepted as suitable for photographic ID purposes:

• Valid Passport
• Photographic Driving Licence
• Citizen/Validate UK Card
• Senior Citizens Bus Pass
• Workplace photo ID card
• Photographic Bank Card
• other official photo ID i.e. membership card

The following examples shall be accepted as suitable for proof of address, provided it is less than 3 months old:

• Utility bill
• Council tax bill
• Benefit book
• other letter from official source

Official visitors require Identification cards.

Agents are required to carry their Law Society of Scotland ID Cards.

A Photographic Driving Licence can be used as an acceptable form of ID for both photographic ID and proof of address.

Child-specific visits are available throughout the SPS estate and are provided in addition to a person in custody statutory visiting rights.

They provide an opportunity for parents to interact with their child/children and spend time together in a relaxed environment.  These are applied for by the person in custody.

The factors detailed below are intended as a guide and each application should be considered on its own merits:

• The child or children must be under the age of 17.
• The person in custody requesting the visits must be the parent, stepparent, kinship carer of the child or have, or have had, the responsibility for the care and custody of the child. Applications may be considered where such a relationship has not been established however there should be compelling grounds for accessing these visits. Any exceptions to the normal criteria should be considered by a Head of Operations on an individual basis.
• Confirmation must be made there are no child protection/welfare concerns or issues; and
• Any parent who is allowed to have access to their child/children will normally be able to apply for children’s visits

Conditions of Children’s Visits:

• • The child must be accompanied to the visit by one approved responsible adult and this person will be aged 18 or over.
  • A person aged 16 or over may accompany a child with the prior approval of the head of operations at establishment.
  • The accompanying adult will be responsible for the care of the child during the visits.