I visited the Portuguese consulate in Boston to apply for a Schengen visa, as I need to travel to Portugal to complete my biometric appointment. I am a Golden Visa investor. However, they informed me that the rules have changed, and I now need to apply for a Temporary Residence Visa instead. Has anyone else encountered this unexpected change?
It sounds like there has been some miscommunication. Whether or not you need a visa to enter a European country depends on your nationality and how long you plan to stay in the country. If you are an American (guessing from the fact you were in Boston), you have visa-free access to anywhere in the Schengen area for 90 days in any 180 day period.
Are you maybe thinking of the ETIAS, assuming you have a US passport and aren’t planning to stay in Portugal?