If someone you love is locked up in New Mexico, video can spare you a long drive across a big, rural state, but how it works depends on which kind of facility they're in. So the first thing to nail down is whether your person is in a state prison, a county jail, or immigration custody, because that determines the vendor, the cost, and the rules.
New Mexico splits custody three ways. The state prison system (NMCD, the New Mexico Corrections Department) runs the state's prisons, holding roughly 6,500 people across a mix of state-run and privately operated facilities. County jails (county detention centers) handle people awaiting trial and serving shorter sentences. And federal and immigration custody play by their own rules, with no Bureau of Prisons institution physically in New Mexico, but several of the most significant ICE detention facilities in the country. Figure out which bucket your person is in first, because everything else flows from that.
Do New Mexico state prisons offer video visitation?
Yes. NMCD offers video visits for approved visitors and eligible inmates, alongside in-person visits. There's no single statewide self-service portal advertised, so the practical step is to contact the specific facility to set up a video visit, the department directs families to do exactly that. The state's phone service runs through Securus, and money transfers go through JPay, so depending on your facility you may be setting up accounts with those vendors.
In-person visiting is the backbone of the state system. You must be on the incarcerated person's approved visitor list before you can schedule anything, and there are a few New Mexico-specific details worth knowing: visitation applications have to be renewed every two years, generally only one visit per week is scheduled per inmate, and at the reception/diagnostic stage (RDC) new arrivals may only visit with immediate family. Approved visitors typically include spouses, parents, guardians, adult children, and approved friends, and you'll need a government photo ID.
New Mexico also runs a distinctive program worth knowing about if you have kids: "tele-visits" coordinated through PB&J Family Services, which arrange video visits between an incarcerated parent and their children from the facility to a community site, specifically to help maintain the parent-child bond. If that fits your situation, ask the facility about it.
To get on the approved visitor list, complete the NMCD visitation request form (CD-100200), submit it for the specific facility, and wait for approval before scheduling. Remember the two-year renewal.
County and city jails
New Mexico's county jails are run by the counties, and each picks its own vendor, so cost and platform vary.
You'll see a mix. The Bernalillo County Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, the state's largest jail, offers onsite video visits free (two visits per week, after the person has been in custody at least 72 hours). Sandoval County (Bernalillo, NM) uses Securus for remote video. Other counties use their own vendors. The only way to be sure of any county's setup is to check that jail's page or call.
The vendor is facility-specific, so the company that works for one county won't necessarily be the one next door. One warning that saves people money and grief: accounts do not transfer between vendors. If your person moves from a Securus county to a different vendor (or into the state system), your funds and account don't follow. You set up fresh with the new vendor.
How county jail video visitation usually works
There are two flavors, and the difference is the whole ballgame for your wallet.
Onsite (or "onsite video") means you drive to the jail and sit at a video terminal in the lobby to talk to the person, who's on a screen inside. Onsite video is frequently free or low-cost (Bernalillo County's onsite video, for instance, is free).
Remote video means you connect from your own phone, tablet, or computer at home. That convenience is what you pay for. Remote sessions are charged per session or per minute, you typically prepay into a vendor account, and you usually reserve a slot in advance.
New Mexico jail video rates shift around, partly because the FCC has been capping these rates through 2024 to 2026 and partly because every facility prices differently. I'm not going to print a per-minute number here, because by the time you read it, it'll be wrong. Look up the rate on your specific jail's vendor page before you pay. What's stable is the structure: onsite (where offered) is often free or cheaper, remote tends to cost, and there are usually advance-registration rules.
Setting up a video visit
The steps are roughly the same whichever system you're dealing with:
1. Find the system for that exact facility. For the state, contact the specific NMCD facility to arrange a video visit. For a county jail, check the county's detention-center page for the vendor (Securus, for example). Don't guess.
2. Create the right account and verify your identity, usually with a government photo ID.
3. Add your inmate and get on the approved list. You'll need the correct name and the NMCD number or booking number, and for the state you must be on the approved visiting list first.
4. Schedule your visit, choosing onsite (free at some jails) or remote, and pay for any paid remote session.
5. Test your device and log in early. Get on about 15 minutes ahead. Check your camera, microphone, speakers, and internet. A failed connection on your end usually still burns the visit slot.
Federal and immigration custody
Federal custody works differently in New Mexico than in most states, because there is no Bureau of Prisons-owned institution in New Mexico. People convicted of federal crimes from New Mexico are designated to BOP prisons in other states, and people in pretrial federal or U.S. Marshals custody are typically held in a contract facility (for example, the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan, a privately run facility, has held U.S. Marshals detainees). Use the BOP inmate locator to find someone in BOP custody and check that institution's visiting rules.
Immigration custody is one of the biggest and most contested stories in New Mexico, and it's changing fast, so be careful with older information. The state has historically been home to three large ICE detention facilities, all in rural areas and all run by private companies: the Cibola County Correctional Center in Milan and the Torrance County Detention Facility in Estancia (both owned and operated by CoreCivic), and the Otero County Processing Center in Chaparral (operated by Management and Training Corporation). Together they have had capacity to hold roughly 3,000 people, and they have long drawn scrutiny over conditions and legal access. What's changing: in 2026 New Mexico enacted the Immigrant Safety Act (House Bill 9), which bars state and local public entities from holding immigration-detention contracts, with the law taking effect in May 2026. The result is an active, unsettled legal and political fight, some counties have moved to wind down their contracts, others have tried to extend them, the state attorney general has gone to court, and ICE has signaled it may try to contract directly with the private operators to keep facilities open. Because of all this, where ICE detainees are held in New Mexico may shift, and people are frequently moved. Confirm where your person actually is before making any plans. To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator, which needs the person's A-Number (the nine-digit alien registration number) or their name plus country of birth. Each facility sets its own visiting and video rules, so confirm directly, and remember immigration bonds are handled through ICE, not posted at the facility.
A note on staying connected
Video is good for one thing money can't really replace: seeing a face, watching a kid wave, reading an expression. And in a state as large and rural as New Mexico, where a prison or detention center can be a long haul from home, that face time matters, and where onsite video is free, like at the Bernalillo County jail, it's worth using.
But be honest with yourself about what carries the weight day to day. Mail is the steadiest line there is. It doesn't drop the call, doesn't need a scheduled slot, and the person can hold it and read it again at 2 a.m. when the walls close in. Phone calls are the backbone of staying in touch, the thing you'll actually do most weeks. Video is the bonus on top, the face-to-face when you can get it. Build your routine around mail and calls, and treat video as the thing that makes the distance feel a little smaller.
Related pages:
/prisons/new-mexico
FCC 2026 call and video rate caps guide
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Do New Mexico state prisons offer video visits?
Yes. NMCD offers video visits for approved visitors and eligible inmates, alongside in-person visits. There's no single self-service portal, so contact the specific facility to set one up.
What vendor does the New Mexico DOC use?
The state uses Securus for phone service and JPay for money transfers; video is arranged through the facility. Check the specific prison, since the setup is handled facility by facility.
Is in-person visiting still allowed in New Mexico?
Yes, and it's central. You must be on the approved list first. Generally one visit a week per inmate, and new arrivals at the diagnostic stage may only visit immediate family.
How do I get on the approved visitor list?
Complete the NMCD visitation request form (CD-100200) for the specific facility and wait for approval. Applications must be renewed every two years, and you'll need a government photo ID.
What are PB and J tele-visits in New Mexico?
A program coordinated through PB&J Family Services that arranges video visits between an incarcerated parent and their children, from the facility to a community site, to support the parent-child bond.
What vendor do New Mexico county jails use?
It varies by county. Bernalillo County (Albuquerque) offers free onsite video; Sandoval County uses Securus for remote video. Always confirm on the specific county's detention-center page.
Are county jail video visits free in New Mexico?
Sometimes. Bernalillo County's onsite video is free (two visits a week, after 72 hours in custody). Remote video from home is usually paid. Check the specific jail.
What is onsite vs remote video visiting?
Onsite means you go to the jail and use a terminal there, often free where offered. Remote means you connect from your own device at home, which typically costs money.
Do vendor accounts transfer between jails?
No. Accounts and funds don't move between vendors. If your person transfers to a facility using a different company, you set up a new account with that vendor.
How do I find which facility someone is in?
Use the NMCD offender search for state custody and the county detention center directly for local jails (counties don't share one statewide system). For federal, use the BOP locator.
Is there a federal prison in New Mexico?
No BOP-owned institution is in New Mexico. Federal inmates are designated to prisons in other states, and pretrial or U.S. Marshals detainees are held in contract facilities.
Where are ICE detainees held in New Mexico?
Historically at three rural private facilities: Cibola County (Milan) and Torrance County (Estancia), both CoreCivic, and the Otero County Processing Center (Chaparral). Their status is changing under a new state law.
What is the Immigrant Safety Act (HB9)?
A 2026 New Mexico law barring state and local public entities from holding immigration-detention contracts, effective May 2026. It has triggered active litigation over the state's ICE facilities.
How do I find someone in ICE custody?
Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. You'll need the person's A-Number, or their full name plus country of birth. Check often, since people are moved quickly.
Is video the only way to see an inmate?
No. State prisons offer in-person plus video, and most county jails offer onsite plus remote video. Federal and ICE custody have their own, often more limited, rules.
What do I need to set up a video visit?
For the state: approval on the visiting list and arrangements through the facility, plus a device and internet. For a jail: the vendor account, the inmate's name and ID, and a tested device. ====================================================================
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