Penmate Inmate Support Guides
Visitation

How to Schedule and Join a Video Visit with Someone in a Pennsylvania State Prison

PA DOC offers both in-person and video visitation. If you're trying to set up and join a video visit, start with the Inmate Visitation System (IVS). That's where visits are managed and where you'll find your visit details.

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The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (PA DOC) allows both in-person and video visits. For video visits, everything runs through the Inmate Visitation System (IVS). That's where you'll manage your visitation info and find the details you need to join.

Before you try to schedule or join a video visit, confirm that you can log into IVS without issues. IVS uses Keystone Login to verify your identity, so both your Keystone Login and your visitor account need to be set up and working. A login problem on the day of your visit is tough to fix on the fly. Test your access ahead of time.

Your video visit link (the URL you click to join) shows up in two places. First, it's in the automated confirmation email sent when the visit is scheduled. Second, you can find it by signing into your IVS visitor account and looking under your "upcoming visits." The URL is listed right there next to the scheduled visit.

Prepare Device

  • ✓ On Android phones and tablets (and other mobile devices), download and install the Zoom Cloud Meetings app before your scheduled visit.
  • ✓ On Windows, macOS, or Linux, follow Zoom’s official support instructions to download and install the Zoom meeting client (or use the supported browser option described there).

Tip: Install Zoom (and run any updates) well before your visit time. Waiting until the last minute can lead to delays right when you’re trying to join.

Be ready a few minutes early. PA DOC lets you join a scheduled video visit up to 5 minutes before the start time. That gives you a small window to click the link, open Zoom, and work through any prompts before the visit begins.

  1. Find your visit URL - Use the link from your automated confirmation email, or sign into IVS and open the URL listed under your “upcoming visits.”
  2. Open the link and launch Zoom - Click the visit URL. When you land on the Zoom page, select “Launch Meeting” to join.
  3. Enter your details if prompted - The Meeting ID should populate automatically, but Zoom may require you to type your name or email address before you can enter the visit.

Checklist

  • ✓ Find the video visit URL ahead of time (from your automated confirmation email or under “upcoming visits” in IVS).
  • ✓ Install Zoom in advance (Zoom Cloud Meetings app on mobile, Zoom meeting client on Windows/macOS/Linux).
  • ✓ Update Zoom before the visit time, if your device prompts you.
  • ✓ Be ready to enter your name or email address when joining.
  • ✓ Join within the allowed window, up to 5 minutes before the scheduled start time.

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