Thank you for responding. My common sense agrees with you, it's not best to just "fly over and take my chances". I'm just scared the bureaucracy will either take too long or find some arbitrary, ridiculous tiny reason not to approve my visa if I go about this correctly. So often doing the right thing is punished.

I got off the phone a few minutes ago with another Portuguese-American woman who is a good friend of mine. She lived in Lisbon for two years and has spent many months there at a time, and has contacts there. She says to go visit for a couple of months and see how I like it. She has friends who will rent an apartment to me for 300 Euros a month if they have time during my stay there. Interestingly, she also says that Portugal's television and film industry are suffering, and that the country badly needs "that Hollywood touch" and would welcome me. She strongly feels I should go there and got that across in no uncertain terms. She also said Portugal's president is keen on bringing Portuguese-Americans to the country and granting us citizenship. This is all very positive; however, she also warns that Portugal is not a "dream country" or fairy tale where all turns out wonderful. She says the country definitely has issues all its own and I will miss and appreciate the US when I get over there. Also, since my father is preto, she said I may run into racism there. (But I laugh at what I may encounter in Portugal; as an American I know very well what anti-black racism is! Besides South Africa I have seen very little anywhere that can parallel America's)

On the same coin, she said she wanted to introduce me to some friends of hers who want to marry an American woman - this way I could get Portuguese citizenship - but at the same time, "I have a feeling you will meet the right man in Portugal when you get there, so I'd rather you go over there single and with your options open!" A lot of inconsistencies and a whole lot of intriguing information. I look forward to this and have set my date:

April 24, 2008, my father's birthday. This is it. I hope someone on the forum might also have some additional ideas my friend may not have yet thought about. Sorry for making such a long reply, and thank you again Karen for answering! I have lurked here enjoying your comments and suggestions for quite sime time! Good to finally meet you!