If someone you love is locked up in Virginia, video can save you a long drive, but how it works depends on which kind of facility they're in. So the first thing to nail down is whether your person is in a state prison, a local or regional jail, or federal or immigration custody, because that determines the vendor, the cost, and the rules.
Virginia splits custody three ways. The state prison system (VADOC, the Virginia Department of Corrections) runs the state's prisons. Local and regional jails are run by sheriffs and regional jail authorities and handle people awaiting trial and serving shorter sentences. And federal and immigration custody play by their own rules, with several federal prisons and a sizable immigration-detention presence in the state. Figure out which bucket your person is in first, because everything else flows from that.
Do Virginia state prisons offer video visitation?
Yes, and Virginia's setup is a little different from most states. VADOC offers both in-person and video visiting, and the video program is run in partnership with Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI), an independent nonprofit, along with ViaPath/ConnectNetwork as the technology vendor.
There are two ways to do a video visit. At-home video lets you connect from a home computer, tablet, or Android smartphone (note: iPhones and iPads are not compatible, which trips a lot of people up). And AFOI runs video visitation centers around the state for families who don't have the technology at home, or who don't qualify for at-home video. Video visits are scheduled online through the visitation scheduler, come in 20-minute or 50-minute blocks, and cost $0.15 per minute. All video visits are monitored and recorded, and inmates required to register as sex offenders for a sexual offense are not eligible for video visits.
One helpful quirk: no application is required to do at-home video visits only. But for in-person visiting you must complete the VADOC visitation application, and that's a more involved process.
In-person visiting at VADOC facilities generally happens on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, though each institution sets its own procedures and they can change, so call the facility before you travel. Plan to arrive about one hour before your visit for security screening. You'll need to be an approved visitor, and there's an important timing rule: visitor applications expire three years after approval, and to keep visiting without a gap you should submit a renewal at least 45 days before expiration if you're in-state, or 90 days before if you're out-of-state.
For sending money, VADOC uses JPay. Phone calls go to numbers on the inmate's approved call list, and you can prepay for a phone plan.
To get on the approved visitor list, submit the VADOC visitation application online (new visitors and renewals both apply online), and wait for approval before scheduling in-person visits.
Using an AFOI video visitation center
If you're using one of the AFOI centers, the process has a few steps, so start early. First, get visitor approval for each visitor through VADOC. Then complete an AFOI video visitation application and waiver (you can sign online, or mail or email it to AFOI). There's a limit of four approved visitors per visit, and that count includes children. AFOI needs about two weeks to process new paperwork; once VADOC approves it, they'll contact you to complete a phone intake and issue you a Family Identification (F#) number. After that, you register for a ViaPath/GTL video visitation account, then request and pay for your visit. It's a few moving parts, but the centers exist precisely so families without home tech can still see their person.
Local and regional jails
Virginia is run differently at the local level than a lot of states: alongside city and county jails, it has a number of regional jail authorities (multi-jurisdiction jails like Riverside Regional, Southwest Virginia Regional, and others). Either way, these are run locally, not by the state, so each picks its own vendor and rules. Cost and platform vary.
You'll see the usual mix of vendors, GTL/ViaPath, Securus, and others, depending on the jail. Some jails offer free onsite (lobby) video plus paid remote video from home; others are video-only with posted daily windows. The only way to be sure of any jail's setup is to check that facility's page or call.
The vendor is facility-specific, so the company that works for one jail won't necessarily be the one at the next. One warning that saves people money and grief: accounts do not transfer between vendors. If your person moves from a Securus jail to a GTL/ViaPath jail (or into the state system), your funds and account don't follow. You set up fresh with the new vendor.
How jail video visitation usually works
There are two flavors, and the difference is the whole ballgame for your wallet.
Onsite (or "onsite video") means you drive to the jail and sit at a video terminal in the lobby to talk to the person, who's on a screen inside. Onsite video is frequently free or low-cost, when a jail offers it.
Remote video means you connect from your own phone, tablet, or computer at home. That convenience is what you pay for. Remote sessions are charged per session or per minute, you typically prepay into a vendor account, and you usually reserve a slot in advance.
Virginia jail video rates shift around, partly because the FCC has been capping these rates through 2024 to 2026 and partly because every facility prices differently. I'm not going to print a per-minute number here, because by the time you read it, it'll be wrong. Look up the rate on your specific jail's vendor page before you pay. What's stable is the structure: onsite (where offered) is often free or cheaper, remote tends to cost, and there are usually advance-registration rules.
Setting up a video visit
The steps are roughly the same whichever system you're dealing with:
1. Find the system for that exact facility. For the state, that's VADOC's video program through AFOI and ViaPath (at-home video or an AFOI center). For a local or regional jail, check the jail's site for the vendor. Don't guess.
2. Create the right account and verify your identity, usually with a government photo ID.
3. Add your inmate and get on the approved list. For VADOC in-person you must complete the visitation application; at-home video only doesn't require it, but the AFOI center process does require VADOC approval. For a jail, you'll need the booking number.
4. Schedule your visit, choosing at-home/onsite or remote, and pay for the session.
5. Test your device and log in early. Get on about 15 minutes ahead, and remember Virginia's at-home video does not work on iPhones or iPads, use a computer, an Android phone, or a tablet. Check your camera, microphone, speakers, and internet. A failed connection on your end usually still burns the slot.
Federal and immigration custody
Virginia has several Bureau of Prisons facilities. The main ones are the Petersburg Federal Correctional Complex in Prince George County near Hopewell (about 25 miles southeast of Richmond), which includes a medium-security prison, a low-security prison, and a minimum-security camp (FCI Petersburg also runs a Sex Offender Management Program), and USP Lee, a high-security penitentiary in Pennington Gap in far southwest Virginia, with an adjacent minimum-security camp. The BOP runs primarily in-person visiting with only limited video, so use the BOP inmate locator to find the institution and check its specific visiting rules. If someone was recently arrested on a federal charge and isn't in the locator yet, they're likely still in U.S. Marshals custody during the designation period, often held in a local or regional jail under contract.
Immigration custody has a sizable footprint in Virginia, and it's an active, fast-changing area, so be careful with older information. Virginia has two dedicated ICE detention centers: the Farmville Detention Center in Prince Edward County (built in 2009 and run by a private operator, Immigration Centers of America) and the Caroline Detention Facility in Caroline County (a former regional jail that has held ICE detainees since around 2018). In addition, ICE holds people under agreements at several local and regional jails, including the Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George County and the Southwest Virginia Regional Jail in Abingdon, often as short-term holding (generally up to about 72 hours) before people are moved into the detention system. Immigration enforcement activity in Virginia rose sharply over the past year. Because the picture is changing fast and people are frequently moved, confirm where your person actually is before making any plans. To locate someone in ICE custody, use the ICE Online Detainee Locator, which needs the person's A-Number (the nine-digit alien registration number) or their name plus country of birth. Each facility sets its own visiting and video rules, so confirm directly, and remember immigration bonds are handled through ICE, not posted at the facility.
A note on staying connected
Video is good for one thing money can't really replace: seeing a face, watching a kid wave, reading an expression. And in a state as big as Virginia, where the prison in Pennington Gap is a long way from almost anywhere, a video visit can be the difference between regular contact and none, which is exactly why Virginia built out those AFOI centers.
But be honest with yourself about what carries the weight day to day. Mail is the steadiest line there is. It doesn't drop the call, doesn't need a scheduled slot, and the person can hold it and read it again at 2 a.m. when the walls close in. Phone calls are the backbone of staying in touch, the thing you'll actually do most weeks. Video is the bonus on top, the face-to-face when you can get it. Build your routine around mail and calls, and treat video as the thing that makes the distance feel a little smaller.
Related pages:
/prisons/virginia
FCC 2026 call and video rate caps guide
Arrest Record Search (affiliate)
Frequently asked questions
Do Virginia state prisons offer video visits?
Yes. VADOC offers in-person and video visiting. Video runs in partnership with the nonprofit AFOI plus ViaPath/ConnectNetwork, either as at-home video or at AFOI video visitation centers around the state.
How much does a VADOC video visit cost?
Video visits are scheduled in 20-minute or 50-minute blocks at $0.15 per minute. All visits are monitored and recorded. Inmates required to register as sex offenders for a sexual offense are not eligible for video.
What vendor does VADOC use for video visits?
The program is run with Assisting Families of Inmates (AFOI), an independent nonprofit, using ViaPath/ConnectNetwork technology. You schedule through the online visitation scheduler at the VADOC/ViaPath portal.
Is in-person visiting still allowed in Virginia?
Yes, generally on Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, though each institution sets its own procedures. Arrive about an hour early for screening, and call the facility first since schedules can change.
How do I get on the approved visitor list?
Submit the VADOC visitation application online (new visitors and renewals both apply online) and wait for approval. Applications expire after three years; renew 45 days ahead in-state, or 90 days ahead out-of-state.
What are AFOI video visitation centers?
They're sites around Virginia, run by the nonprofit AFOI, where families without home technology (or who don't qualify for at-home video) can do a video visit. You complete an AFOI application and intake first.
Can I use an iPhone for a VADOC video visit?
No. At-home video visits don't work on iPhones or iPads. Use a home computer, a tablet, or an Android smartphone instead. If you don't have compatible tech, an AFOI center is the alternative.
How do I send money to a Virginia inmate?
VADOC uses JPay for sending money to people in state custody. Phone calls go to numbers on the inmate's approved call list, and you can prepay for a phone plan. Local jails use their own systems.
What vendor do Virginia jails use?
It varies by jail. Local and regional jails (including regional jail authorities) each pick their own vendor, often GTL/ViaPath or Securus. Always confirm the vendor and rules on the specific jail's page.
Are county jail video visits free in Virginia?
Sometimes onsite lobby video is free while at-home remote video is paid, but it depends entirely on the jail and vendor. Check whether a free onsite option exists at your specific facility.
What is onsite vs remote video visiting?
Onsite means you go to the jail and use a terminal there, often free where offered. Remote means you connect from your own device at home, which typically costs money at local and regional jails.
Do vendor accounts transfer between jails?
No. Accounts and funds don't move between vendors. If your person transfers to a facility using a different company, you set up a new account with that vendor.
How do I find which facility someone is in?
Use the VADOC offender locator for state prisons and the local or regional jail (or its roster) for jails. For federal, use the BOP locator. For ICE, use the Online Detainee Locator.
Are there federal prisons in Virginia?
Yes. The main ones are the Petersburg Federal Correctional Complex near Hopewell (medium, low, and a camp) and USP Lee, a high-security penitentiary in Pennington Gap. Use the BOP inmate locator.
Where are ICE detainees held in Virginia?
Mainly at two dedicated centers, the Farmville Detention Center and the Caroline Detention Facility, plus short-term holding at some regional jails (such as Riverside Regional and Southwest Virginia Regional). Use the ICE locator.
How do I find someone in ICE custody?
Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator. You'll need the person's A-Number, or their full name plus country of birth. Check often, since people are moved quickly between facilities and into the detention system. ====================================================================