How to book a prison video call in the Purple Visits app: who can request a call, free minutes, booking windows, call length and establishment rules.
Once you’ve verified your identity and added your contact, you’re ready to request your first video call. We’ve made the booking process as simple as possible, so you can focus on what matters most - staying connected with your loved one.
Purple Visits video call booking is done through the mobile app. Most UK prisons and secure establishments give up to 60 free minutes of video calling a month (usually two 30-minute calls or one 60-minute call), subject to availability at your establishment. Booking a Purple Visits call requires advance notice and available time slots vary by prison or secure hospital. Video call requests can be initiated by families or by the person in custody depending on the establishment’s policy.
Make sure you’ve verified your identity successfully, added your contact to your account, downloaded the latest version of the Purple Visits app and checked the available time slots for your contact’s establishment.
Booking processes and policies can vary between establishments, so always check your contact’s establishment page for specific information about call schedules, duration and booking methods.
The process for initiating video calls depends on your contact’s establishment. At some establishments, you (the family member or friend) can request calls directly through the Purple Visits app. You’ll see available time slots and can book calls at times that work for both you and your contact.
At other establishments, your contact initiates the calls from inside the facility. They’ll send you an invitation for a specific time slot and you’ll accept or decline through the app.
Some establishments use a hybrid approach where either party can initiate calls depending on the situation or call type (like free calls versus paid calls).
To find out which method your contact’s establishment uses, check their establishment page or look in the app when you go to request a call - the available options will be clear.
Most UK establishments give up to 60 free minutes a month as part of Ministry of Justice policy – usually two 30-minute calls or one 60-minute call, at the Governor’s discretion and subject to availability. This allowance resets on the 1st of each month, so if you don’t use it, it doesn’t roll over to the next month. See Free video calls explained.
The free allowance is per contact, which means if you have multiple contacts at different establishments, you get the free allowance each month with each of them.
Some establishments may offer different allocations based on their specific policies. Free calls are typically 30 minutes long, though this can vary by establishment. You’ll see the call duration when booking.
Families are never charged for calls at prisons in England and Wales. Some prisons offer extra calls at their own discretion, subject to availability; otherwise you can book again when the allowance resets on the 1st. At La Moye (Jersey) and Isle of Man there is no funded allowance – families pay per call, with no limit, and the price is shown in the app when booking.
Open the Purple Visits app and log into your account. Go to the “Video Calls” tab, select the contact you want to call and you’ll see their establishment (make sure this is still correct and they haven’t moved).
The app will show you available time slots for your contact’s establishment. These slots are updated in real-time based on availability. You can browse by date and time, looking for a slot that works for your schedule. Time slots show the date, time and duration of the call.
Remember to book with advance notice - typically you’ll need to book a few days ahead, though this varies by establishment. Popular times fill up quickly, especially evenings and weekends, so book early if possible.
If you want to include family or friends on the call, select “Add Additional Participants” during booking. You can choose up to 3 additional people from your approved participants list (making 4 people total including you).
Not sure how to add participants? Check our guide on adding additional participants.
Before submitting your request, double-check the date and time (making sure you’re available), confirm the duration (usually 30 minutes), verify which participants are included and make sure you understand whether it’s a free call or paid call.
Once everything looks good, tap “Request Call”. You’ll see a confirmation message and the call will appear in your upcoming calls list.
Your request will be reviewed by prison or secure hospital staff, you’ll receive a confirmation notification in the app and via email with the call details including date, time, duration, participants and your contact’s name and establishment.
Your contact will also be notified about the scheduled call. They’ll see the details and know when to be available for the call.
A reminder will be sent to you before the call (usually 24 hours and 1 hour before). Make sure you have notifications enabled so you don’t miss these reminders.
The call will appear in your “Upcoming Calls” section in the app where you can view all the details and, if needed, cancel.
Most Purple Visits calls are 30 minutes long, which is the standard for the 2 free monthly calls. Some establishments may offer longer calls (like 60 minutes), particularly for paid calls or special circumstances.
The call duration is fixed when you book - you can’t extend it once the call has started. The system will show you a timer during the call so you know how much time remains.
Make the most of your time by preparing talking points before the call, minimising interruptions during your allotted time and considering what’s most important to discuss given the time limit.
Video calls typically require advance notice to allow for coordination and scheduling. Most establishments require booking several days in advance - this varies by establishment but is typically a few days. Some facilities may have longer notice periods, especially for first-time calls.
The app won’t let you book within the minimum advance notice period for your contact’s establishment. If you need a call urgently, contact the establishment directly to see if any accommodation can be made, though this is usually not possible due to security and logistical requirements.
Plan ahead and book calls as early as possible to get your preferred time slots. Popular times like evenings and weekends book up quickly, most establishments allow requests upto 30 days into the future.
If you need to change your booking, you can cancel calls through the app. You will need to re-book the call by going back through the booking process if you would like to reschdule the call for any reason.
To cancel a call, go to “Upcoming Calls”, select the call you want to cancel, tap “Cancel Call” and confirm the cancellation. To reschedule, you’ll typically need to cancel the existing call and book a new one.
Be mindful of cancellation policies as late cancellations or no-shows may affect your ability to book future calls. For full details, check our guide on cancelling or rescheduling calls.
If you’re not seeing available time slots, it could mean the establishment’s current slots are booked (try checking back later or looking further ahead), there may be a temporary suspension of calls (due to facility issues or restrictions) or your contact may need to initiate the call (depending on the establishment’s policy).
Check your contact’s establishment page for information about their booking schedule and policies. You can also contact the establishment’s visitor services to ask about availability.
Families are never charged for calls at prisons in England and Wales, where the MoJ funds up to 60 minutes a month (and some prisons offer extra calls at their discretion). At La Moye Prison (Jersey) and Isle of Man Prison there is no funded allowance: every call is paid for by the family, there is no monthly limit, and the price is shown clearly in the app before you confirm.
Payment is processed securely through the app using your saved payment method or a new card. You’ll receive a receipt via email after booking.
Paid calls follow the same booking process – you just select a time slot and the app shows the cost.
Before your call, make sure you have a stable internet connection (WiFi is recommended for best quality), a fully charged device or access to a charger, the latest version of the Purple Visits app and a quiet, well-lit space for the call.
For detailed technical preparation, read our guide on preparing for your video call.
If you’re getting an error message when trying to book, check that your identity verification is complete, update to the latest version of the app, check your internet connection and try logging out and back in.
If all time slots are unavailable, the schedule may not be published yet (check back in a few days), slots may be fully booked (try looking further ahead), your contact’s establishment may have temporarily suspended calls or your contact may need to initiate calls instead of you.
Once you’ve booked your call, prepare for the best experience by reading our guide on preparing for your video call. Learn what to expect during the call in our guide on during your video call. If you experience any technical issues, check our technical troubleshooting guide.
Questions about requesting video calls? Check our Frequently Asked Questions, email support at [email protected] or use our contact form.
We’re here to help you stay connected with your loved one.