A transgendered Nova Scotia resident facing possible deportation from Canada says she could become the victim of hate crimes if she's sent back to Ireland.

Tanya Bloomfield, a transgendered female, came to Canada from the United Kingdom as Tim Bloomfield.

Shortly after arriving in the fall of 2006, Bloomfield and a female partner got married. But three years later, their relationship was on the rocks.

"We got married in Nova Scotia, and in January of 2009 that relationship broke down. Along with it, my spousal sponsorship application also became invalid," Bloomfield told CTV News.

Bloomfield, an Irish national, says that she applied for a temporary residence permit and a temporary work permit, but was denied both.

Tanya doesn't know why she was rejected, other than not meeting the criteria.

When Bloomfield and her lawyer, Lee Cohen, sought clarification from Citizenship and Immigration Canada, they were asked to sign a voluntary departure order to leave the country by the end of August.

"Tanya has refused to sign the voluntary departure order and has indicated her intentions to claim refugee status in Canada, primarily on the grounds of seeking protection as a transgendered person," Lee said.

Bloomfield, 40, says she started the process of transitioning from a man to a woman when she was just 24. But it wasn't until she and her ex-partner arrived in Canada that she became entirely comfortable with the idea.

Now, she fears for her safety if she's forced to return to her former home in Northern Ireland.

"There are statistics which show there's increasing hate crime within the European Union," Bloomfield said.

If Bloomfield can prove her case, establishing a legitimate refugee claim could mean at least another 18 months in Canada. As a refugee, Bloomfield would then be able to apply for permanent residency.

If her application is rejected, however, a deportation order could be issued in a matter of days.

Bloomfield's lack of legal status hasn't stopped her from establishing roots in Nova Scotia.

Besides owning and operating a small computer business, Bloomfield gained prominence in May when she ran a Halifax road race barefoot to raise money for a local organization serving gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

With files from CTV Atlantic's Rick Grant in Halifax