Quick guide to video calling

This quick guide is for people who are invited to video call with a person in prison.

Download this information on the Quick guide to video calling for Approved Visitors PDF, 201.9 KB,


Becoming a video caller

Step 1: Eligible people in prison can invite Approved Visitors to apply for video calling.

Step 2: If you are invited a Corrections staff member will call you to see if you would like to become a Video Caller. They’ll give you an email address, for you to email in some basic information.

Step 3: They will reply to your email and ask you to provide further information and agree to conditions for video calling. Remember you must be an Approved Visitor.

Step 4: If you’re accepted as a video caller, staff will book a video call for you and your person in prison. They will send you all the details you need by email.


Joining a video call

Step 1: Make sure you are somewhere quiet and private for your call. Have your device on and your email open. Check your video and microphone are working.

Step 2: Follow the ReadyCloud Guide and use the link to the ReadyCloud Video Call. Remember you can only join the meeting at the appointed time (but you can test it earlier using the test link provided).

Step 3: Have your ID handy to confirm you are an Approved Visitor. We must confirm the identity of everyone booked on the video call.

Step 4: Once connected to the video call, wait for the staff member to appear. They will confirm your ID and will then bring in your loved one and you can see and speak to them for 10 minutes. Staff will end the call when the time is up.

Enjoy your video call.


Tips for video calling

  • Check you have the appropriate internet browser on your device. Video calls will work best in Google Chrome on Windows and Android devices. For Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, MAC), Safari is best.
  • Make sure your phone or tablet battery is well charged. Check you have enough data or a good wifi connection. Test your video call beforehand with ‘test link’ which will be provided in the email.
  • Check your phone camera and microphone are working so you can see and hear your person in prison. If you are struggling to hear, consider using headphones.
  • Use a quiet private room or shut the door to limit background noise and maximise privacy.
  • For better lighting do not sit with your back to a window, have the light in front of you. In some cases pulling the curtains and turning on lights will provide a more even lighting level.
  • Get comfortable and try to stay still throughout the video call (this will help with quality).