A Melbourne woman and her daughter, who have been prevented from leaving Egypt by a travel ban imposed by her ex-husband, have returned to Australia after an Egyptian judge cleared the way for the child to travel.
Amaal Yasmin Finn, 37, and her seven-year-old daughter, Zareen, had been trapped in Egypt since the child's Egyptian-born father, Mazen Hassan Baioumy, had the ban imposed in 2013.
Ms Finn has said she was tricked by Mr Baioumy into signing documents in Arabic, which she could not read, believing they would grant her Egyptian residency.
Instead, the ban, with Zareen's name registered on an official immigration list, prevented the child from leaving the country with her mother who had been cleared to travel.
After almost three years of legal action, an Egyptian appeals court handed down its verdict on February 24 clearing the way for the child to leave Egypt.
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But a further month was required to implement the court decision before they were able to travel late last week, returning to Melbourne on Friday.
Ms Finn told AAP that after so many disappointments the court's verdict, passed on to her by her Egyptian lawyer, came as a surprise.
"At the very least I was expecting another [court] session after a month, but [the lawyer] said; 'that's it - it's been lifted', and I couldn't believe it. It was a huge relief," she said.
Ms Finn had lived in constant fear for her life and the anxiety family members of Mr Baimouy would attempt to kidnap Zareen.
Mr Baimouy, who has been living in Australia, had his brother attempt to have the ban re-imposed after the court verdict. But the bid was rejected.
Ms Finn said it was "absolute pure joy [on board the flight home to Australia] looking at her sitting next to me, every step of the way knowing 'this is it, we've done it - she's here. I'm not going back by myself."
"When Zareen walked through the gates of Melbourne airport with me it was just the best feeling in the world; you cannot describe it," she said.
Ms Finn's father, Graeme Finn, who supported his daughter financially as well as actively lobbying members of parliament to press their case to Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, said it had been "a great relief when she was on the plane."
"Amaal rang me when they were waiting for the bus to take them to the aeroplane - I said - I think, I think we're right - and she said, 'Yes I think so, I think so," Mr Finn said.
