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?
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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?
If you do require a visa to travel to Schengen area, the FAQ section of the Embassy of Portugal in Delhi has the following information:
Quote:
I have an appointment at AIMA. Which visa should I apply for?
To attend an appointment at AIMA, you should apply for an E6 visa (exceptional situation).
Unquote
This is apparently a new requirement / instruction for the last few months…
https://novadeli.embaixadaportugal.mne.gov.pt/en/consular-section/visas#i-have-an-appointment-at-aima-which-visa-should-i-apply-for
Interestingly, this visa permits stays of up to a year… Not the 90 days in 180 limit of ‘D’ visas
Summary of E6 visa from Claude follows…
Summary of E6 visa from Claude
The E6 visa is a Portuguese Temporary Stay Visa (category “E,” as opposed to the “D” residence visas). Here’s what it covers:
Official name
Temporary Stay Visa for periods over 3 months in exceptional/well-founded circumstances, covering several distinct sub-purposes:
Study programs at a certified institution, student exchange, unpaid professional internships, or volunteer work (under 1 year)
Purposes arising from WTO obligations or international conventions/agreements
Holders of valid Portuguese residence permits that were lost or stolen
Retirees or people living off passive/individual income with an established connection to Portugal
Family members of Portuguese nationals
What it’s commonly used for in practice
The E6 is often described as a “lighter version” of the D7 visa. The D7 is Portugal’s well-known long-term residency visa for retirees/passive-income earners, while the E6 is a simplified, lower-commitment alternative for people who want to spend more than 90 days (up to about a year) in Portugal without pursuing full residency status.
Key features:
Passive income requirement: must be at or above Portuguese minimum wage — €870/month in 2025 — and it must be stable and passive (pensions, rental income, interest, dividends), not from active employment.
No residency acquired: unlike D7, this doesn’t put you on the residency/citizenship track — it’s just a temporary stay.
Duration: valid for stays beyond 90 days and up to roughly one year.
Also used for students in some cases
Interestingly, the E6 is sometimes issued to students in short (under 1-year) master’s programs instead of the D4 student visa, when the program duration doesn’t meet D4 thresholds. In that case it still permits part-time work, similar to other international student visa categories.
Bottom line: if you’re weighing D7 vs. E6, the D7 is for people committing to actual long-term residency in Portugal (and the pathway to permanent residence/citizenship), while the E6 suits people who want an extended stay (up to a year) without starting that residency clock — a simpler, faster option if permanent relocation isn’t the immediate goal.