Abstract: An interactive visitor announcement/access control system for residents of limited access and gated communities. The system includes a computer database and a community staff-operated personal computer (p.c.) located at each visitor access point to the community, the staff p.c. being connected to the database by direct link and/or via the Internet. Each resident having a personal computer is provided with limited Internet access to the database to enter scheduling information and a description of each expected visitor, including the visit date and time, the name of each visitor, and a printed bar-coded pass authorization and mode of delivery thereof for each visitor.