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According to the Washington Post, the United States government expects the Chinese government to expedite Chen's application for travel documents.  However, the expedition process may hit a snag due to China's Foreign Ministry requiring Chen to apply through regular channels to obtain a passport.

U.S. officials said in order to study at a university Chen would need an offer from an accredited institution and show a serious commitment to his studies, reports CNN.  The student visa would include his immediate family, wife and two children.

Chen, a self-taught lawyer, made headlines when he escaped house arrest last week and sought refuge in the Beijing-located U.S. Embassy.

In a phone call to a congressional panel Thursday, Chen said he planned on relocating to the U.S. for only a few months before returning to China, said the LA Times.  Activists and experts have questioned whether China will follow through with their support of the compromise.

Part of the deal requires Chen to move from his hometown province of Shandong, where he was held in abusive house arrest, to a different region where he can continue his education, reports USA Today.

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