My Australian girlfriend came to America for her senior year of high school. She was 17 the entire time and at some point during the year she traveled to Canada and upon returning to United States she was found to have the wrong visa. She was given a deportation date, but rather than sacrifice all her academic progress she decided to stay until graduation. She must have overstayed for aprox. 7 months or so, but she left on her own terms while she was still 17. She turned 18 last October and now wants to return to America this summer.
My question is will she be barred from entry even though she was 17 during her entire presence in America? I read somewhere that minors are exempt from being barred from reentry until their 18th birthday. So does that mean the bar was implemented once she turned 18, even though she was back in australia by then? She simply wants to visit with through the visa waiver program on tourism this summer. If she is barred, is their any other options for her to return?

