How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Visitation at Bellefonte, Pennsylvania is managed through the Pennsylvania DOC Inmate Visitation System (IVS). You'll need to schedule your visit in IVS at least two days in advance. Each adult visitor needs their own IVS account, authenticated through Keystone Login for identity verification. Video visits are available too. You can join from the IVS interface, by clicking the emailed Video Call URL, or through the Zoom app using the meeting ID and password provided. For in-person visits, Pennsylvania DOC policy allows up to four contact visits per month per inmate, including one weekend visit. Each visit lasts at least one hour and may allow up to four visitors. Bring a current government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth, and make sure the address you provide matches what's on your ID.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Thinking about recording a PA DOC video visit or grabbing a quick screenshot? Pause first. The DOC has clear rules about what they record, and what you're not allowed to record or share.
You're not imagining it —
Your first PA DOC video visit is usually smooth once you know where to click and what to watch for. Follow the steps below to get into your scheduled Zoom-based visit without a hitch.
Visiting through Pennsylvania DOC starts online. Once your account and approval are set up, scheduling and check-in go much more smoothly.
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.
PA DOC visits have to be scheduled ahead of time, and there's a cap on how far out you can book. The tricky part? PA DOC pages don't all describe the advance-notice requirement the same way, so building in a little buffer helps.
Log into your IVS account and use the Video Call URL to join. You can also click the emailed Video Call URL, or join in the Zoom app with the meeting ID and password provided.
Yes. The PA DOC IVS uses Keystone Login for identity verification, so each adult visitor needs to create and authenticate their own IVS account through Keystone. Minors are added under a parent or guardian's account as part of the IVS process.
Bring a current government-issued photo ID that shows your date of birth. When scheduling, make sure the address you provide matches the address on your ID.
If your loved one is in the Pennsylvania DOC system, the right address depends on what you're mailing. Regular letters and photos go to Smart Communications for scanning. Publications and photo books route through the Bellefonte Security Processing Center (SPC).
Trying to help your loved one get a tablet in a Pennsylvania state prison? Here's the key thing to know: they have to buy it themselves through commissary. Your role is usually funding their account.
Reaching someone in custody is usually straightforward once you know the system. At Bellefonte, PA, that means understanding how scheduling, video access, and funding for devices work through Pennsylvania DOC processes.
