How to Schedule Your First Visit at Curran-Fromhold (48-hour checklist)
Your first visit to Curran-Fromhold Correctional Center (CFCF) goes smoother when you treat it like a 48-hour countdown. Schedule inside the allowed window, confirm your time slot, and show up with the right ID and a few small essentials—that way you won't get turned away at the door.
At CFCF, you can’t just show up and ask to visit. You must schedule your visit at least 48 hours in advance - walk-in visits aren’t permitted at Philadelphia Department of Prisons (PDP) facilities, including CFCF.
Appointments are first-come, first-served, and you must book between 48 hours and seven days before your visit. Wait until the last minute, and the time you want may already be gone. Have a couple of backup slots in mind before you schedule.
Note: Saturday visits are reserved for designated facility populations. Holiday visits are only allowed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
CFCF is at 7901 State Rd. Monday through Friday, the time slots are 9–10 a.m., 1–2 p.m., and 3–4 p.m. You're reserving one specific window, so plan your travel and childcare around the slot you pick.
Planning a weekend visit? Keep expectations realistic. Saturdays are reserved for designated facility populations - not general visiting. Holidays are limited too: PDP only allows visits on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day.
Give yourself a buffer on visit day. PDP requires you to arrive at least ten minutes before your scheduled time, and you'll still need to check in and go through screening.
- ✓ Government-issued identification
- ✓ The incarcerated person’s name
- ✓ The incarcerated person’s ID number
Once your ID is checked, you'll wait in the visiting area. Lockers are available for your belongings, but they require quarters - and there's no change machine. Forget the quarters, and you may be stuck carrying items you can't bring into the visit.
Expect a full screening. An officer will search you in a private room and may ask you to loosen undergarments. You'll also pass through a metal detector - similar to airport security.
Heads up: It can take time for the incarcerated person to get to the visiting room. If they don’t want to see you, the visit won’t be allowed - PDP won’t force anyone to meet a visitor.
The dress code is one of the fastest ways to lose a visit. PDP enforces its rules strictly - violate them, and your visit gets canceled. If you're unsure whether something will pass, go with a more conservative option before you leave home.
- Ask to speak to a supervisor - do this as soon as possible if you feel a search was improper.
- Contact the Office of Community Justice Outreach (CJO) - call (215) 685-8909 or (215) 685-7288.
If you clear check-in but still don't get your visit, the person you came to see may have declined. PDP won't force anyone to meet a visitor - if they say no, the visit won't happen.
Before you head out, check for any announced ViaPath (GTL) outages. PDP has posted maintenance windows - like 4 p.m.–midnight on Jan 7–9 - when scheduling for phone, video, and in-person visits may be unavailable.
Android users can register and schedule visits through the GTL VisMobile app. Still, check the app's status before you leave - especially if you're scheduling right at the edge of the 48-hour window.
Find an Inmate at Curran Fromhold Corrections Center, PA
Search for a loved one and send messages and photos in minutes.
