Mail, photos, messaging, and phone/call options for staying in touch.
Cold Springs Corrections Unit offers two video visit options: at-home video visits and visits at AFOI visitor centers. At-home visits work on a computer, tablet, or Android smartphone. Scheduling through the ViaPath website is recommended, since the mobile app has had reported issues. Visitors 18 and older must register under their legal name and present a valid government-issued photo ID. Log into the GTL system about 15 minutes before an at-home visit, and plan to arrive at least 20 minutes early for an AFOI visit. Each video visit can include up to five people, including children, but minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. For technical or billing problems, contact the vendor directly. AFOI visits require mailing signed forms and the fee to AFOI in Richmond.
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At Cold Springs and other VADOC facilities, phone monitoring is the default. When your loved one activates their PIN and uses the inmate telephone system, they're agreeing that calls can be monitored and recorded. The exception? Verified attorney calls—but only after the attorney number goes through the proper verification process.
VADOC phone rules can feel rigid until you understand how they're structured. Here's how approved call lists work, what the usual time limits look like, what "monitoring and recording" actually means, and why your loved one's housing status can change how often they get to call.
Staying in touch with someone at Cold Springs Corrections Unit mostly comes down to video visits and account-funded services. The details matter, so use the rules below to avoid getting turned away or losing a paid visit.
At Cold Springs, the approved call list holds 15 phone numbers—total. That cap includes both personal contacts and legal numbers, so every slot counts. One thing to know: your loved one manages the list from their end. If a number changes, goes out of service, or needs to be swapped for someone else, they're the one who has to handle the update.
You can use at-home video visits or video visits at AFOI visitor centers, and both require visitor registration. Schedule through the ViaPath website (a laptop or desktop is recommended) since the mobile app has had issues. For AFOI visitor-center visits, you must mail signed video-visiting forms and the fee to AFOI in Richmond.
Up to five people (including children) can join a video visit. Minors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and anyone 18 or older must register under their legal name and show a valid government photo ID. Recording or taking screenshots is prohibited. The visit will also be ended if the inmate needs to use the restroom.
Inmates can keep up to 15 approved phone numbers on their call list. Numbers stay active until they're removed or blocked. Once an inmate activates their PIN and starts using the phone system, all calls are monitored and recorded. Calls are generally limited to 20 minutes, with monthly limits that depend on housing or status.
A VADOC video visit can end fast if you trip a rule, even one that feels minor in the moment. These five rules are the ones that most commonly get sessions terminated or cause problems afterward. Know them ahead of time and you'll keep your visit uninterrupted.
If your loved one is at Cold Springs Corrections Unit, you've got two prepaid options for phone calls: an AdvancePay account you control, or a PIN Debit account the inmate uses. Both run through ConnectNetwork (Global Tel*Link). Once you understand the difference, setup is easy.
Your loved one at Cold Springs Corrections Unit says they "added your number," but calls still aren't coming through. The missing piece is usually automated consent. Here's how the *44 system works, what happens on their end, and what you need to do to get activated faster.
