Before Your First In‑Person Visit at Anamosa: A Practical Checklist
Your first visit goes much smoother when you handle the basics beforehand: get approved, schedule your slot, dress to pass the door, and show up ready for screening.
How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Anamosa Penitentiary offers free in-person and video visits for approved friends and family. Once approved, you'll schedule visits through the Ameelio app. Facility staff handle approvals—not Ameelio—so every adult must submit their own printed, signed visitor application. Electronic applications aren't accepted. If your request is denied, you can appeal in writing to the Central Visiting Authority at Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility. Expect security screening: pat-downs, metal detectors, electronic ion scanners, and visual searches are all possible. Visits may be ended or suspended for rule violations or safety concerns. Dress appropriately—wear shoes and skip miniskirts, shorts above the knee, muscle shirts, see-through clothing, and halter tops.
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Your first visit goes much smoother when you handle the basics beforehand: get approved, schedule your slot, dress to pass the door, and show up ready for screening.
Visiting someone at Anamosa State Penitentiary starts with getting approved by the Iowa Department of Corrections. Here's what you need to know upfront: you must print the visitor application, sign it by hand, and mail it in. Online submissions aren't accepted.
You'll need approval from the Iowa Department of Corrections before visiting anyone at Anamosa State Penitentiary. The good news: once approved, both in-person and video visits are free for friends and family. That makes staying connected a lot easier.
Once you're approved, scheduling is the easy part. At Anamosa, you'll book both in-person and video visits through the Ameelio App—and they're completely free for approved friends and family.
Your visit can go smoothly if you know what happens at the door. At Anamosa, expect security screening and a dress code check before you're allowed into the visiting room.
Facility staff must approve you first—Ameelio handles scheduling but can't approve or deny visitors. Once approved, schedule in-person or video visits through the Ameelio app. Visits for approved friends and family are free.
You must be properly attired and wear shoes to enter. Prohibited clothing includes miniskirts, shorts above the knee, muscle shirts, see-through clothing, and halter tops.
Ameelio staff don’t make approval decisions—facility staff do. If your visit request is denied, you can appeal in writing to the Central Visiting Authority at Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility.
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