Note the short period of time. This was a short program visa. The waiver may be denied based on a perceived intent. Not all waivers are automatically granted. They are reviewed. The only thing being a US citizen guarantees is that the waiver can be an option.



Quote Quoting T53147
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Illegal overstays are "forgiven" for spouses of US citizens.

She may NOT work without authorization so once her J-1 expires, she must stop working. Illegal work can complicate matters.

I still suggest that she meet with an attorney for a personal review especially since the "memo" you refer to is MIA.