All people in custody book their own visits and have the responsibility to inform their visitors of the day and time of the visit. Below is a list of identification requirements, the times of visits session, depending on the location of the individual, facilities and what you can expect coming to the prison.

Please arrive in good time for the visit session. From 1st June 2025, the establishment will be operating a 15-minute cut-off to all visit sessions, this is to ensure that everyone can benefit from the full visit session. 

If you are running late, please contact the establishment on 01501 824000 so that staff can ensure the person in our care is ready and waiting for your arrival. Anyone arriving after the 15-minute cut off, who has not phoned, will not be permitted entry to the establishment. 

Everyone must book in with staff at the vestibule on arrival. You will have to put all valuables in the lockers provided and you will not be allowed to take a wallet or purse into the visit room. Lockers take £1, which is refundable.

All visitors will be asked to walk through a metal detector and may be given a rub down search by a member of staff. You will then have to climb a small flight of stairs to a secure waiting area. There is a lift available to any visitor who has difficulty accessing the waiting area via the stairs. At times, there may be the SPS Dog Unit working in the visit area, it’s nothing to worry about and you will be given clear instructions from staff. If you have any concerns please feel free to talk to a member of staff.

After a short time in the waiting room you will be allocated a specific numbered table in the visit room and allowed access to the main visit room. There is a number of coined refreshment machines located around the visit room for use.

The Family Contact Officer (FCO) is available every Monday 12:00-20:30 and one weekend every 4 weeks. In addition, staff from ‘Getting Better Together’ are available between Monday and Saturday. Please find a link to their website below for more information about their service.

There are toilet facilities, including disabled toilets and baby changing facilities as well as a children’s soft play area which is located in the visit room.

At Shotts we pride ourselves on making the visiting experience as relaxed and welcoming as possible with a supportive environment especially for first time visitors who are unsure of prison procedures.

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.