Number of Visits Allowed per Month:
| Country | Visits Allowed per Month |
| Austria | Sentenced prisoners: min 4 visits of 30 min each per month + 1h-visit every 6 weeks (in specific case, visit time can be extended). Remand prisoners: twice a week for 30 minutes per visit. |
| Belgium | Sentenced prisoners: min 3 days per week of at least 1h (12 visits per month). Prisoners on remand: can be visited every day. |
| Bulgaria | Min 2 40-minute-visits per month (extended visits of 4h are given as awards). |
| Croatia | 2 visits per month (however, it depends on prison, prisoner’s age, whether one person is in remand detention or has been sentenced). |
| Cyprus | 2 visits of 45 min each per month (prior Covid: up to 10 per month). |
| Czech Republic | Sentenced prisoners: 3h per month. Remand prisoners: 90 min per 2 week. |
| Denmark | 4 visits of at least 1h each per month |
| Estonia | min 1 visit per month up to 3h (short-term visit) + min 1 long-term visit each 6 months (not for people in custody). |
| Finland | Supervised: usually during weekends (sometimes during public holidays); usually max 45 min; no specific time of visits allowed. Child-friendly supervised visits: with children under 15 y.o. (in general, possibility of physical contact); usually 45 min (or more if previously established). Unsupervised/family visits: also during weekdays. |
| France | Sentenced prisoners: max from 4 to 8 visits per month. Generally visits last from 30 to 45 min. Remand prisoners: max 12 visits per month (prisoners on remand). Generally visits last from 30 to 45 min |
| Germany | From 1h to 4h per month (it depends on the Bundesland and on prisoner’s condition). |
| Greece | Sentenced prisoners: 4 visits per month. Visits last 30 min. Remand prisoners: 8 visits per month. Visits last 30 min. Debtors and people waiting for deportation: unlimited visits. |
| Hungary | 1 visit per month (max 60min, max 2 people) – due to Covid |
| Ireland | 1 physical family visit per fortnight of not more than 30 minutes duration – due to Covid |
| Italy | 6 visits/month of max 1h (in particular circumstances, 2h). Co.9, art.37, dpr 230/2000: visits can be increased with children younger than 10 y.o. |
| Latvia | Short visit, from 1 to 2h; long visit, between 6 to 48h. No visits permitted on remand. |
| Lithuania | min 1 short-term visit (3h) per month, min 1 long-term visit (24h) per month. |
| Luxembourg | 7h per month. |
| Malta | 4 visits per month of 45min each. |
| Netherlands | 4h per month |
| Norway | Min 4 visits per month (1 visit per week, min 1h each) |
| Poland | No restrictions on visits in open prisons. 3 visits per month in semi-open prisons. 2 visits per month in closed prisons. |
| Portugal | 8 visits per month of 1h each. |
| Romania | 4 visits per month (semi-open imprisonment). |
| Slovakia | 1 visit per month (max 2h, except special or compassionate reasons). |
| Slovenia | 4 visits per month, at least 1h each. |
| Spain | Oral or personal communications: 4-8 visits per month of respectively 40 or 20 min. Intimate communications: min once per month, 1-3h. Family communications (no ordinary exit permits): 1-3h per month. Coexistence communications: each quarter, 4-6h (with children under 10 y.o.). |
| Sweden | Based on an individual evaluation. |
| Switzerland | 4 visits of min 1h each |
| England/Wales | Sentenced prisoners: 2 visits of 1h each per month. Remand prisoners: 12 visits of 1h each per month. |
| Northern Ireland | 4 visits per month, 45min-1h each. |
| Scotland | Depends on staffing arrangements and the impact of Covid 19 in each establishment. |
Austria: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Rechtsinformationsystem des Bundes “Bundesrecht konsolidiert: Gesamte Rechtsvorschrift für Strafvollzugsgesetz, Fassung vom 28.04.2022” and from “Austria: prisoner pack” by GOV.UK (December 2019).
Belgium: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Service Public Fédéral JusticE (2022), (link: https://justice.belgium.be/fr/themes_et_dossiers/prisons/rendre_visite_a_un_detenu/demander_une_visite).
Bulgaria: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Human Rights Guide (2019) (link: https://www.humanrightsguide.bg/en/themes/prisons/correspondence-visits/visits/family-visits) and from “Information Pack for British nationals detained or imprisoned in Bulgaria” by GOV.UK (2021).
Croatia: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information pack for British prisoners in Croatia” by GOV.UK (January 2022).
Cyprus: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Republic of Cyprus prisoner pack” by GOV.UK (December 2020).
Czech Republic: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Prison Service of the Czech Republic (Vězeňská služba České republiky) under FAQ (link: https://www.vscr.cz/en/faq/family-members-relatives).
Denmark: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Kriminal Forsorgen (https://www.kriminalforsorgen.dk/straf/faengsel/afsoning-af-faengselsdom/besoeg-og-udgang/).
Estonia: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from the Estonian Imprisonment Act (art. § 24 and § 25) and from the Estonian Ministry of Justice (https://www.vangla.ee/en/communication-prisoners/long-term-visit).
Finland: No more than one appointment per day. Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Criminal Sanctions Agency (link: https://www.rikosseuraamus.fi/fi/index/taytantoonpano/yhteydetulkopuolelle/tapaamiset.html) and from the help of Kriminaalihuollon tukisäätiö (“The Finnish Foundation for Supporting Ex-offenders”).
France: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Prisoners in France” by GOV.UK (July 2020).
Germany: Information about visits retrieved from “Kontakt von Kindern zu ihren inhaftierten Eltern Einblicke in den deutschen Justizvollzug” by Deutsches Institut für Menschenrechte (2019) and “Information Pack for British Nationals detained or imprisoned in Germany” by GOV.UK (February 2022).
Greece: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information for British nationals detained or imprisoned in Greece” by GOV.UK (October 2021).
Hungary: Visiting rules have changed after Covid-19 pandemic. Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Hungarian Prison Service website (March 2022) (link: https://www.bv.gov.hu/hu/node/3592).
Ireland: Information about number of visits retrieved from the Irish Prison Service (March 2022).
Italy: Information about visits retrieved from art.37, dpr 230/2000.
Latvia: Short visit, from 1 to 2h (to maintain social contacts); long visit, between 6 to 48h (to maintain family ties). Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Nationals detained or imprisoned in Latvia” by GOV.UK (July 2021).
Lithuania: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Prisoners in Lithuania” by GOV.UK (March 2019) and from the “Report to the Lithuanian Government on the visit to Lithuania carried out by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT)” by CPT (April 2018).
Luxembourg: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Prisoners in Luxembourg” by GOV.UK (September 2020).
Malta: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Nationals detained or imprisoned in Malta” by GOV.UK (September 2020).
Netherlands: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Berghuis, M., Palmen, H., Cochran, J., & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2022). Visitation Enablers and Barriers: Evaluating the Influences of Practical, Relational, and Experiential Factors on Visitation in Dutch Prisons. Crime & Delinquency. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287211061721.
Norway: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “ENGELSK serving a sentence. A brochure for foreigners in Norwegian prisons” by Jussbuss (reference date: 03.05.2019), and from the Kriminalomsorgen Romenike fengsel med underavdelinger” (link: https://romerikefengsel.no/en/for-parorende/).
Poland: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from Ceglarski, B., Inforakademia, march 2019 (link: https://kruczek.pl/widzenie-w-zakladzie-karnym/) and from Magierska, M., “Widzenie w zakładzie karnym – jakie zasady obowiązują?”, Kruczek, September 2019, (link: https://www.infor.pl/prawo/wieziennictwo/skazany-w-postepowaniu-wykonawczym/776624,Widzenia-w-zakladzie-karnym-jakie-zasady-obowiazuja.html).
Portugal: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from the General Regulation of Prisons, art.111 (Direção-Geral de Reinserção e Serviços Prisionais).
Romania: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Prisoners in Romania” by GOV.UK (September 2021).
Slovakia: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Prisoners in Slovakia” by GOV.UK (November 2020).
Slovenia: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from the Administration of the Republic of Slovenia for the Enforcement of Criminal Sanctions, date reference: August 2021 (link: https://www.gov.si/teme/prestanje-zaporne-kazni/).
Spain: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Prison Visitation Regime” by Información Legal (February 2022) and “Prison Visitation Regime” by Chabaneix Abogados Penalistas (n.d.).
Sweden: The number and frequency of visits depend on prisoner’s circumstances and the current situation at the prison/remand prison. Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Information Pack for British Prisoners in Sweden” by GOV.UK (September 2020)
Switzerland: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from the section “Amt für Justizvollzug” under “Informationen für Besuche” by the Kanton Bern (Regionalgefängnis sections: Bern, Biel, Burgdorf, Moutier, Thun) (e.g. link: https://www.ajv.sid.be.ch/de/start/themen/haft/regionalgefaengnis-bern/informationen–fuer-besuche.html).
England/Wales: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/staying-in-touch-with-someone-in-prison/visiting-someone-in-prison).
Northern Ireland: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Getting ready for your visit” by NIACRO (https://www.niacro.co.uk/sites/default/files/Socially%20distanced%20visits.pdf) and from the Northern Ireland Prison Service (+44 02890522922).
Scotland: Information about number of visits per month retrieved from “Families Outside” (https://www.familiesoutside.org.uk/families/visiting-prison/).