How to visit, scheduling, dress code, and visitor requirements
Visiting at River North Correctional Center starts with approval. All visitors—adults and minors—must submit the Virginia DOC visitor application online and wait for Central Visitation Unit approval. If you're 15 or older, expect a VCIN background check plus screening for suspended visitors and VACORIS records. Once approved, your application stays valid for three years. Renew at least 45 days before expiration if you live in Virginia, or 90 days ahead if you're out of state. Plan to arrive about an hour before your scheduled visit for security screening, and bring at least one valid photo ID matching your application—a driver's license, military ID, or passport for non-US residents all work. Follow the dress code: clothing must cover from neck to kneecaps, appropriate underwear is required, and proper footwear is a must. Visitor Centers require prior approval and won't let you leave and re-enter. Video visits can be scheduled through ViaPath. During severe weather, in-person visits may be canceled statewide while video visits continue.
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Visiting at River North Correctional Center starts with approval from Virginia DOC's Central Visitation Unit. Know what they check and when renewals are due, and you'll avoid surprise interruptions that could derail your visits.
Before you can visit anyone at River North, you need approval through Virginia DOC's online visitor application system. Once you understand which form to use and when renewals are due, the process becomes straightforward.
Once you're approved, you can book an in-person visit through the online Visitation Scheduler. The booking window opens 14 days in advance—enough time to plan, but not so far out that you can schedule months ahead. One limit to keep in mind: you're allowed one visit per weekend. If you're juggling rides, childcare, or multiple family members who want to come, choose your date carefully so you don't accidentally use up your slot.
Visiting someone at River North Correctional Center? Here's the simplest way to think about the dress code: your clothing needs to cover you from neck to kneecaps. Underwear is required. If your outfit doesn't meet these basics, you'll be turned away before you ever reach the visiting area. When in doubt, go conservative.
Video visits can be a lifeline—but they come with strict rules. Here's how to handle your options at River North, when to log in or arrive, what to wear, and how to avoid getting cut off or suspended.
Choosing between a video visit and an in-person visit at River North mostly comes down to logistics: where you'll be visiting from, how early you need to show up, what you can wear, and what happens if you're running late.
A smooth visit at River North comes down to three things: the right ID, the right clothes, and enough time to clear security. Here's your quick pack-and-plan checklist.
Submit the Virginia DOC visitor application online and wait for Central Visitation Unit approval before you try to visit. As part of the review, visitors ages 15 and older are checked through VCIN, and the unit screens for suspended visitors and VACORIS records.
Bring at least one valid photo ID that matches your approved application. The facility lists examples such as a driver’s license, military ID, a passport for non‑US residents, or another official picture ID.
No. River North's Visitor Centers require prior approval, and once you're inside, you can't leave and re-enter the visiting area.
Phone calls are one of the fastest ways to stay connected, but the rules are strict. Here's how call lists, monitoring, funding, and common mistakes work—so you don't accidentally cause problems for your loved one's phone access.
Writing to someone at River North Correctional Center? Here's the key thing: VADOC photocopies all incoming general mail, then shreds the originals. Below, you'll find what you can send, how it's processed, and how to address your envelope so it actually reaches the right person.
At River North (and other VADOC facilities), incoming mail doesn't reach your loved one in its original form. Staff photocopy everything, and the inmate receives those copies—not your actual letter, cards, or photos. The originals get shredded afterward. Don't send anything you want back.
