diff --git a/swh/storage/in_memory.py b/swh/storage/in_memory.py
--- a/swh/storage/in_memory.py
+++ b/swh/storage/in_memory.py
@@ -1146,7 +1146,7 @@
         the origin's type.
 
         Args:
-            origin (int): visited origin's identifier
+            origin (Union[int,str]): visited origin's identifier or URL
             date: timestamp of such visit
             type (str): the type of loader used for the visit (hg, git, ...)
 
@@ -1167,7 +1167,10 @@
                           DeprecationWarning)
             date = ts
 
-        origin_id = origin  # TODO: rename the argument
+        if isinstance(origin, str):
+            origin_id = self.origin_get({'url': origin})['id']
+        else:
+            origin_id = origin
 
         if isinstance(date, str):
             date = dateutil.parser.parse(date)
@@ -1205,7 +1208,7 @@
         """Update an origin_visit's status.
 
         Args:
-            origin (int): visited origin's identifier
+            origin (Union[int,str]): visited origin's identifier or URL
             visit_id (int): visit's identifier
             status: visit's new status
             metadata: data associated to the visit
@@ -1216,7 +1219,10 @@
             None
 
         """
-        origin_id = origin  # TODO: rename the argument
+        if isinstance(origin, str):
+            origin_id = self.origin_get({'url': origin})['id']
+        else:
+            origin_id = origin
 
         try:
             visit = self._origin_visits[origin_id-1][visit_id-1]
diff --git a/swh/storage/storage.py b/swh/storage/storage.py
--- a/swh/storage/storage.py
+++ b/swh/storage/storage.py
@@ -1157,7 +1157,7 @@
         the origin's type.
 
         Args:
-            origin: Visited Origin id
+            origin (Union[int,str]): visited origin's identifier or URL
             date: timestamp of such visit
             type (str): the type of loader used for the visit (hg, git, ...)
 
@@ -1178,13 +1178,17 @@
                           DeprecationWarning)
             date = ts
 
-        origin_id = origin  # TODO: rename the argument
+        if isinstance(origin, str):
+            origin = self.origin_get({'url': origin}, db=db, cur=cur)
+            origin_id = origin['id']
+        else:
+            origin = self.origin_get({'id': origin}, db=db, cur=cur)
+            origin_id = origin['id']
 
         if isinstance(date, str):
             date = dateutil.parser.parse(date)
 
         if type is None:
-            origin = self.origin_get({'id': origin})
             type = origin['type']
 
         visit_id = db.origin_visit_add(origin_id, date, type, cur)
@@ -1192,7 +1196,6 @@
         if self.journal_writer:
             # We can write to the journal only after inserting to the
             # DB, because we want the id of the visit
-            origin = self.origin_get([{'id': origin_id}], db=db, cur=cur)[0]
             del origin['id']
             self.journal_writer.write_addition('origin_visit', {
                 'origin': origin, 'date': date, 'type': type,
@@ -1211,7 +1214,7 @@
         """Update an origin_visit's status.
 
         Args:
-            origin: Visited Origin id
+            origin (Union[int,str]): visited origin's identifier or URL
             visit_id: Visit's id
             status: Visit's new status
             metadata: Data associated to the visit
@@ -1222,7 +1225,10 @@
             None
 
         """
-        origin_id = origin  # TODO: rename the argument
+        if isinstance(origin, str):
+            origin_id = self.origin_get({'url': origin}, db=db, cur=cur)['id']
+        else:
+            origin_id = origin
 
         visit = db.origin_visit_get(origin_id, visit_id, cur=cur)
 
@@ -1274,7 +1280,8 @@
         if self.journal_writer:
             for visit in visits:
                 visit = visit.copy()
-                origin = self.origin_get([{'id': visit['origin']}])[0]
+                origin = self.origin_get(
+                    [{'id': visit['origin']}], db=db, cur=cur)[0]
                 visit['origin'] = origin
                 if visit.get('type') is None:
                     visit['type'] = origin['type']
diff --git a/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py b/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py
--- a/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py
+++ b/swh/storage/tests/test_storage.py
@@ -1490,6 +1490,46 @@
                          [('origin', expected_origin),
                           ('origin_visit', data)])
 
+    def test_origin_visit_add_from_url(self):
+        # given
+        self.assertIsNone(self.storage.origin_get([self.origin2])[0])
+
+        origin_id = self.storage.origin_add_one(self.origin2)
+        origin_url = self.origin2['url']
+        self.assertIsNotNone(origin_id)
+
+        # when
+        origin_visit1 = self.storage.origin_visit_add(
+            origin_url,
+            type='git',
+            date=self.date_visit2)
+
+        actual_origin_visits = list(self.storage.origin_visit_get(origin_id))
+        self.assertEqual(actual_origin_visits,
+                         [{
+                             'origin': origin_id,
+                             'date': self.date_visit2,
+                             'visit': origin_visit1['visit'],
+                             'type': 'git',
+                             'status': 'ongoing',
+                             'metadata': None,
+                             'snapshot': None,
+                         }])
+
+        expected_origin = self.origin2.copy()
+        data = {
+            'origin': expected_origin,
+            'date': self.date_visit2,
+            'visit': origin_visit1['visit'],
+            'type': 'git',
+            'status': 'ongoing',
+            'metadata': None,
+            'snapshot': None,
+        }
+        self.assertEqual(list(self.journal_writer.objects),
+                         [('origin', expected_origin),
+                          ('origin_visit', data)])
+
     def test_origin_visit_add_default_type(self):
         # given
         self.assertIsNone(self.storage.origin_get([self.origin2])[0])