diff --git a/modules/api/docs/LorisRESTAPI_v0.0.4-dev.md b/modules/api/docs/LorisRESTAPI_v0.0.4-dev.md
index a03be523543..e511e60d928 100644
--- a/modules/api/docs/LorisRESTAPI_v0.0.4-dev.md
+++ b/modules/api/docs/LorisRESTAPI_v0.0.4-dev.md
@@ -416,10 +416,10 @@ The JSON object is of the form:
 }
 ```
 
-A PUT of the same format but with only the Meta fields will create the VisitLabel
+A PUT request of the same format but with only the Meta fields will create the VisitLabel
 for this candidate, in an unstarted stage if the Visit label provided is valid.
 
-PATCH is not supported for Visit Labels.
+A PATCH request with the Meta fields and a date NextStageDate will start the next stage, if the stage is 'Not Started' and the CandID and Visit label provided are valid.
 
 It will return a 404 Not Found if the visit label does not exist for this candidate
 (as well as anything under the /candidates/$CandID/$VisitLabel hierarchy)
diff --git a/modules/api/php/endpoints/candidate/visit/visit.class.inc b/modules/api/php/endpoints/candidate/visit/visit.class.inc
index 526a18279e9..47cdaad924b 100644
--- a/modules/api/php/endpoints/candidate/visit/visit.class.inc
+++ b/modules/api/php/endpoints/candidate/visit/visit.class.inc
@@ -42,6 +42,20 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
      */
     private $_visit;
 
+    /**
+     * The visit centerID
+     *
+     * @var ?\CenterID
+     */
+    private $_centerID;
+
+    /**
+     * The visit Project
+     *
+     * @var ?\Project
+     */
+    private $_project;
+
     /**
      * Contructor
      *
@@ -63,6 +77,7 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
     {
         return [
             'GET',
+            'PATCH',
             'PUT',
         ];
     }
@@ -95,7 +110,6 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
             if (!$this->_visit->isAccessibleBy($user)) {
                 return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\Forbidden('Permission denied');
             }
-
         }
 
         $pathparts = $request->getAttribute('pathparts');
@@ -104,6 +118,9 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
             case 'GET':
                 return $this->_handleGET();
 
+            case 'PATCH':
+                return $this->_handlePATCH($request);
+
             case 'PUT':
                 return $this->_handlePUT($request);
 
@@ -172,23 +189,22 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
     }
 
     /**
-     * Handles a PUT request that creates or replace a candidate visit
-     *
-     * TODO: There is no way to validate the the visit_label in the url
-     *       fits the json data of the request because it is removed from the
-     *       pathparts in the calling class. The correct way to do it would be
-     *       to pass a "light" timepoint class that contains the visit_label but
-     *       no sessionid in the constructor.
+     * Validate a PUT request
      *
      * @param ServerRequestInterface $request The incoming PSR7 request
      *
-     * @return ResponseInterface The outgoing PSR7 response
+     * @return ?ResponseInterface The outgoing PSR7 response
      */
-    private function _handlePUT(ServerRequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
-    {
-        $user      = $request->getAttribute('user');
-        $data      = json_decode((string) $request->getBody(), true);
-        $visitinfo = $data ?? [];
+    private function _validatePUT(
+        ServerRequestInterface $request
+    ): ?ResponseInterface {
+        $user = $request->getAttribute('user');
+        $data = json_decode((string) $request->getBody(), true);
+        $meta = $data ?? [];
+
+        if ($this->_visit === null) {
+            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\NotFound('Visit not found');
+        }
 
         $requiredfields = [
             'CandID',
@@ -197,7 +213,7 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
             'Battery',
             'Project',
         ];
-        $diff           = array_diff($requiredfields, array_keys($visitinfo));
+        $diff           = array_diff($requiredfields, array_keys($meta));
 
         if (!empty($diff)) {
             return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
@@ -206,16 +222,16 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
         }
 
         try {
-            $project = \NDB_Factory::singleton()->project($visitinfo['Project']);
+            $this->_project = \NDB_Factory::singleton()->project($meta['Project']);
         } catch (\NotFound $e) {
             return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
                 $e->getMessage()
             );
         }
 
-        if ($visitinfo['CandID'] !== $this->_candidate->getCandID()) {
+        if ($meta['CandID'] !== $this->_candidate->getCandID()) {
             return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
-                'CandID do not match this candidate'
+                'The CandID meta field does not match this candidate'
             );
         }
 
@@ -225,20 +241,132 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
             );
         }
 
-        $centerid = array_search($visitinfo['Site'], \Utility::getSiteList());
+        if ($meta['Visit'] !== $this->_visit->getVisitLabel()) {
+            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
+                'The Visit meta field does not match this visit'
+            );
+        }
+
+        $centerID = array_search($meta['Site'], \Utility::getSiteList());
 
-        if ($centerid === false
-            || !in_array(new \CenterID("$centerid"), $user->getCenterIDs())
+        if ($centerID === false || !in_array(
+            new \CenterID(strval($this->_centerID)),
+            $user->getCenterIDs()
+        )
         ) {
             return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\Forbidden(
                 "You can't create or modify candidates visit for the site " .
-                $centerid
+                $this->_centerID
             );
         }
 
-        // \Utility::getSiteList key was a string. Now that the
-        // validation is done, convert to an object.
-        $centerid = new \CenterID("$centerid");
+        // Now that the validation is done, convert to an object.
+        $this->_centerID = new \CenterID(strval($centerID));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Handles a PATCH request.
+     * For now, only support a NextStageDate argument to start next stage.
+     *
+     * @param ServerRequestInterface $request The incoming PSR7 request
+     *
+     * @return ResponseInterface The outgoing PSR7 response
+     */
+    private function _handlePATCH(ServerRequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
+    {
+        $data          = json_decode((string) $request->getBody(), true);
+        $nextStageDate = $data['NextStageDate'] ?? null;
+
+        $response = $this->_validatePUT($request);
+        if ($response !== null) {
+            return $response;
+        }
+
+        if (!$nextStageDate) {
+            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
+                'There is no stage date specified'
+            );
+        }
+
+        $date_format = 'YYYY-MM-DD';
+        $date        = \DateTime::createFromFormat($date_format, $nextStageDate);
+        if (!($date && $date->format($date_format) === $nextStageDate)) {
+            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
+                'The date specified is invalid. Date must be of the form YYYY-MM-DD'
+            );
+        }
+
+        if ($nextStageDate > date($date_format)) {
+            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\BadRequest(
+                'The date specified must be not later than today'
+            );
+        }
+
+        if ($this->_visit->getCurrentStage() !== 'Not Started') {
+            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\Conflict(
+                'This visit is already started'
+            );
+        }
+
+        $newStage = $this->_visit->getNextStage();
+        if (!$newStage) {
+            return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\Conflict(
+                "Next stage is null"
+            );
+        }
+
+        // start that stage
+        $this->_visit->startStage($newStage);
+
+        // set the date for the new stage
+        $this->_visit->setData(["Date_".$newStage => $nextStageDate]);
+
+        // create a new battery object && new battery
+        $candidate = \Candidate::singleton($this->_visit->getCandID());
+
+        // First visit ?
+        $firstVisit = false;
+        try {
+            if ($candidate->getFirstVisit() == $this->_visit->getVisitLabel()) {
+                $firstVisit = true;
+            }
+        } catch (\LorisException $e) {
+        }
+
+        $battery = new \NDB_BVL_Battery;
+        // select a specific time point (sessionID) for the battery
+        $battery->selectBattery($this->_visit->getSessionID());
+
+        // add instruments to the time point
+        $battery->createBattery(
+            $request->getAttribute("loris"),
+            $this->_visit->getSubprojectID(),
+            $newStage,
+            $this->_visit->getVisitLabel(),
+            $this->_visit->getCenterID(),
+            $firstVisit
+        );
+
+        return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\OK();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Handles a PUT request that creates or replace a candidate visit
+     *
+     * @param ServerRequestInterface $request The incoming PSR7 request
+     *
+     * @return ResponseInterface The outgoing PSR7 response
+     */
+    private function _handlePUT(ServerRequestInterface $request): ResponseInterface
+    {
+        $user      = $request->getAttribute('user');
+        $data      = json_decode((string) $request->getBody(), true);
+        $visitinfo = $data ?? [];
+
+        $response = $this->_validatePUT($request);
+        if ($response !== null) {
+            return $response;
+        }
 
         $subprojectid = array_search(
             $visitinfo['Battery'],
@@ -255,6 +383,7 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
             $timepoint = \NDB_Factory::singleton()->timepoint(
                 new \SessionID(strval($sessionid))
             );
+
             if ($timepoint->getCurrentStage() !== 'Not Started') {
                 return new \LORIS\Http\Response\JSON\Conflict(
                     'This visit is already started'
@@ -266,7 +395,7 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
 
             $timepoint->setData(
                 [
-                    'CenterID'        => $centerid,
+                    'CenterID'        => $this->_centerID,
                     'Visit_label'     => $visitinfo['Visit'],
                     'SubprojectID'    => $subprojectid,
                     'Active'          => 'Y',
@@ -275,7 +404,7 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
                     'UserID'          => $username,
                     'Date_registered' => $today,
                     'Testdate'        => $today,
-                    'ProjectID'       => $project->getId(),
+                    'ProjectID'       => $this->_project->getId(),
                 ]
             );
 
@@ -301,8 +430,8 @@ class Visit extends Endpoint implements \LORIS\Middleware\ETagCalculator
             $this->_candidate,
             $subprojectid,
             $visitinfo['Visit'],
-            \Site::singleton($centerid),
-            $project
+            \Site::singleton($this->_centerID),
+            $this->_project
         );
 
         $link = '/' . $request->getUri()->getPath();