How to Schedule In-Person or Video Visits Using the Ameelio App (Iowa DOC)

Here's the key thing: Ameelio isn't optional for Iowa DOC. All in-person and video visits are scheduled through the Ameelio App, so you'll need an account even if you only plan to visit on-site. The good news? Iowa DOC offers both in-person and video visits at no cost for approved friends and family. "Approved" is the important word here. The app is where you book the time, but you still have to be cleared as a visitor before you can schedule anything.

1. Download the Ameelio App - Install it on the phone or device you plan to use for scheduling.
2. Create your account - Use your own information so your account matches your visitor application.
3. Have the person’s details handy - Their name (and ID number, if you know it) helps you find the right profile when you are ready to schedule.

Not seeing any visit options in the app? Approval is usually the missing piece. Facility staff handle visitation approval, not Ameelio. Ameelio customer support can't approve or deny visitation, so they won't be able to "push through" an application or override a facility decision.

Once you're approved, you'll use the Ameelio App to schedule both in-person and video visits. Available days and times vary by facility, so check the facility's posted information first, then pick from the time slots that appear in the app. Video visits follow the same rule: they still have to be scheduled in Ameelio. For in-person visits, book your slot in the app first, then plan your travel and arrival around that reservation.

• ✓ Every adult visitor must submit their own Visitor Application.
• ✓ Electronic applications are not accepted. Applications must be printed and signed.
• ✓ Minors must be listed on a Visitor Application completed and signed by their parent or legal guardian.
• ✓ Mail the printed, signed application to: Mount Pleasant Correctional Facility, Attn: Central Records, 1200 E. Washington St., Mount Pleasant, IA 52641.

From a scheduling standpoint, in-person and video visits work the same way: you book them in the Ameelio App. Both types are free if you're approved. The difference is what happens after you reserve. For a video visit, you need a device and a quiet place to take the call. For an in-person visit, you'll be entering a secure facility, so be ready for screening at the door.

Before picking a visit type, confirm what your loved one's facility currently offers and which visiting days and times are available. Scheduling always happens in Ameelio, but the options you see depend on the facility's setup and schedule.

Stuck in the app? For login problems, password resets, or technical errors, Ameelio customer support is the right place to go. They can help with account setup and troubleshooting. If your question is about approval, denials, or whether you're cleared to visit, that's handled by facility staff. Ameelio can't approve or deny visitation, so direct those questions to the facility.

Arrival Expectations

• ✓ Expect a search when you enter, which may include a pat down, metal detectors, electronic ion scanners, other electronic devices, or visual searches.
• ✓ If you refuse to comply with the Iowa DOC visitation search policy, entrance to the visiting room will be denied.

Plan your in-person visit with screening in mind. Iowa DOC policy allows staff to search visitors on entrance, and the search can involve several methods depending on the situation and equipment available. If you're not willing to complete the search process, you won't be allowed into the visiting room, even with a scheduled visit in Ameelio.