Video Visits vs. In-Person Visits in Pennsylvania: Limits, Length, and Privacy
Pennsylvania DOC offers both in-person (contact) visits and video visits. Which one works best depends on how many visits you can schedule, how long you need, who wants to join, and whether you need privacy for the conversation.
Pennsylvania DOC gives you two options: in-person (contact) visits and video visits. Both are scheduled through the Inmate Visitation System (IVS). You'll need an IVS account, and you must be on the incarcerated person's authorized visitor list - no authorization, no booking.
Reminder: All visits - video and in-person - must be scheduled through IVS at least two days in advance.
In-person visits are more limited, so plan around them first. Each inmate can receive up to four contact visits per month, with only one of those on a weekend. You can bring up to four visitors per visit. Larger groups? You'll need to rotate who attends across different dates.
Video visits give you more chances to connect. Each inmate can receive up to six video visits per month, including one weekend slot. Up to six visitors can join the same video call - great for larger families or when people want to check in from different locations.
- ✓ In-person (contact): Up to 4 visits per month (including 1 weekend visit); up to 4 visitors per visit
- ✓ Video: Up to 6 visits per month (including 1 weekend visit); up to 6 visitors per visit
Video visits run 45 minutes. If you're used to longer in-person time, treat video as a focused check-in. Go in with a short list of what you most want to cover.
In-person visits are guaranteed at least one hour. That extra time matters - especially if you're traveling, bringing kids who need time to settle, or just want a calmer, less rushed conversation.
Planning tip: Build your “must-say” items around the clock - 45 minutes for video, at least an hour for in-person - so you’re not cramming important updates into the last few minutes.
Privacy is one of the biggest differences between visit types. Video visits with non-attorneys are audio/video recorded and can be reviewed. Assume the conversation is being preserved. If you're discussing anything sensitive - family conflict, medical details, anything you wouldn't want replayed - keep that in mind when deciding how to connect.
Legal visits: Video visits with attorneys are not audio/video recorded.
Because of the recording policy, many families use video for quick support, scheduling, and everyday updates - then save more private topics for a setting they're comfortable with. Attorney video visits have a different privacy standard than non-attorney calls, so legal conversations get more protection.
How to Decide
- ✓ Choose video when distance, work schedules, or mobility make travel hard - and when a larger group needs to join (up to 6 visitors).
- ✓ Choose in-person (contact) when you want more time together (at least 1 hour) or you’re using one of the limited monthly in-person slots (up to 4 per month).
- ✓ Match your group size to the limit: up to 4 visitors for contact visits vs. up to 6 for video.
- ✓ Think about privacy: non-attorney video visits are recorded and subject to review; attorney video visits are not recorded.
- ✓ Budget your monthly visits: up to 6 video visits per month vs. up to 4 contact visits per month, each including one weekend visit.
- Set up IVS access and confirm you’re authorized - you must have an IVS account and be on the incarcerated person’s authorized visitor list to schedule.
- Book the visit at least two days ahead - both in-person and video visits have to be scheduled in advance through IVS.
- Watch your email for cancellations - if the facility cancels, IVS sends an email to the address linked to your IVS account.
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