Queensland Corrective Services (QCS) will introduce a new application form for lawyers seeking to visit clients in custody, following a review of its existing visitor‑approval process.
From tomorrow – 26 March, 2026, legal practitioners will be required to use Form 27(b) Application to Visit – Legal Practitioners, which QCS says will better reflect the specific requirements for legal visits across the state’s correctional centres.
The new form replaces several sections of the current Form 27(a), which QCS found were designed primarily for contractors and external service providers, including criminal‑history check provisions that do not apply to lawyers.
In a statement, QCS said the change was aimed at providing “clearer requirements” for legal practitioners attending in‑person or virtual visits.
Existing approvals remain valid
QCS confirmed that all existing visit approvals for lawyers will remain valid until their current expiry date. Practitioners who already hold approval will not need to reapply using the new form.
Applications submitted on the older Form 27(a) will continue to be processed up until 26 March, when the new form comes into effect.
Statewide access unchanged
The new Form 27(b) will continue to grant lawyers approval across all Queensland correctional centres, consistent with the current system.
QCS has encouraged legal practices and representative groups to share the update with colleagues ahead of the transition.
The new form will be available on the QCS website from 26 March.
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