How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Every visitor to Cold Springs Corrections Unit—including minors—needs advance approval through the online visitor application on the VADOC public website (Central Visitation Unit). Processing takes about 45 days for Virginia residents and about 90 days for out-of-state applicants, so plan ahead. Once approved, your application stays valid for three years; renew early (45 days in-state, 90 days out-of-state) to avoid gaps. Arrive one hour before your visit for security screening, and bring at least one valid photo ID matching your application. Dress conservatively: clothing must cover from neck to kneecaps, appropriate underwear and footwear are required, and watches or wearable technology (including Google Glass) aren't allowed. Need disability accommodations or unable to pass electronic scanners? Contact the facility ahead of time and be ready to provide medical documentation if requested.
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
Submit the online visitor application through the VADOC/DOC public website for Central Visitation Unit approval. Processing is typically about 45 days for Virginia residents and about 90 days for out-of-state applicants, so apply well before you plan to visit.
Bring at least one valid government-issued photo ID that matches your application (for example, a driver’s license, military ID, or a passport for non-U.S. residents). Dress conservatively—clothing must cover from the neck to the kneecaps, appropriate underwear and footwear are required, and watches or wearable technology aren’t allowed.
Contact the facility ahead of time to request reasonable accommodations (including approval for a service animal). If you can’t pass electronic scanners due to pregnancy or a medical condition, be ready to provide medical documentation so an alternate search procedure can be arranged.
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.
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.
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.
