Can an Inmate Call Someone Living Overseas on Military Duty?

This is a situation InmateAid was designed to help with, and there is a workable solution even from South Korea.

The fundamental rule does not change regardless of where you are stationed. Inmates initiate all calls; they cannot receive incoming calls. Your inmate dials out through the facility's phone system and the call routes to whatever number is on their approved list.

The solution for overseas situations is to set up a local phone number near the facility that forwards to a number you can receive in South Korea. If your Skype account is assigned a 10-digit US phone number, that number can serve as the forwarding destination for an InmateAid local line. The call would work like this: your inmate dials the local InmateAid number through the facility's phone system, which forwards the call to your Skype number, and you receive it in South Korea through the Skype app on your device.

Whether the forwarding works depends on how the Skype number is configured and whether the prison phone carrier's system can complete the forward without blocking it. This is worth testing before committing to the setup.

The cost structure would involve paying InmateAid for the local line and paying the facility's phone provider for the local call rate. Time difference is the remaining practical challenge, so coordinating a calling schedule with your inmate through letters in advance is essential to make sure you are actually available when they call.

Reach out to InmateAid directly at aid@inmateaid.com to work through the specifics of your setup before placing an order.