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A Canadian woman hoping to spend her retirement years with her husband in England is on the verge of being kicked out of the country because officials are questioning the affection level in her 45-year marriage.

Maria Summers had her application for a visa formally declined in 2014 on the grounds that she and her husband David had not provided enough evidence to prove that their relationship was both ongoing and emotionally supportive.

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tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Canadian will be kicked out of U.K. unless she can prove her 45-year marriage has been 'affectionate' Back to video

The retired optician has appealed the unusual decision, but says the stakes are high if it’s declined.

The couple faces the prospect of selling their home in Hereford, England, consigning David’s cancer-stricken mother to long-term care and relinquishing their long-held retirement plans if the U.K. border agency doesn’t reverse its decision.

“If I can’t stay, then we will have to sell. We will have to move back to Canada,” Maria Summers said in a telephone interview. “That’s not horrible, either. We’ve been in Canada for a long time, but it wasn’t the plan when we retired.”