which country has the most officious customs? and the most friendly?

[cooperplace]

I was once talked out of declaring something by a customs officer in Denmark ("you don't want to pay duty, do you?"), and I sometimes think that Australian customs are the worst in the developed world.

[ZFT]

Just seems to depend on the individual on the day, not really country dependent in my experience.

[rog747]

never see customs hardly in the Western world ''anything to declare sir'' those days are gone....but i gather Ozzie is strict

but - do you mean immigration passport & border controls??

[alserire]

Australia the worst. Not even close in my experience.

The Italians are great. They just don't seem to care at all. Lost count of the amount of times I've visited. Have entered through 7 different airports and at the French border. Never a bother.

[Dubaian]

Been a while since I lived there but Mehrabad (Tehran) were pretty tricky - on the way out !! In case I was smuggling antique Korans or carpets. (The good stuff got out years earlier)

They gave me a really hard time over a VCR (remember them>>>.) I'd actually bought in Iran and had a Farsi receipt to prove it.

[Heathrow Harry]

As ZFT says depends on the day and the person -

I've had heaven and hell in Russia, Oz, the USA, UK..............

Africa is normally bad as they need to make a $

Never had ANY problems in 40 years of visiting Norway tho'

[PDR1]

Definitely Australia - no one else comes even close.

[Heathrow Harry]

well I was once ordered to tip out the complete contents of my suitcase at LHR - no finger search - and they did the same to the other passengers on the flight - apparently a tip-off..........

but they were SERIOUSLY unpleasant & arrogant about it

[edi_local]

Best-North Korea by far. Immigration officers and customs very friendly. Much more so than their Southern counterparts, but I guess they aren't as busy.

Worst-Belarus. No one comes close. They openly asked for a bribe to let me through quicker on my way out of the country. I declined, saying I'd rather wait. I was one of 17 passengers, the rest a mix of Belarussian, Russian and Lithuanian businessmen on our way to VNO. They clearly had no luck with the "locals" so when they saw my passport their eyes lit up. I could only imagine what was going through their heads, the things they were thinking of charging me for. They were really struggling to find anything at all in my bags they could try and extort "duty" out of as I had bought nothing in Minsk other than a few postcards and a fridge magnet. They were taking their sweet time, obviously trying to scare me into paying something, knowing my flight was leaving soon. I didn't flinch at all and in the end they got pissed off looking through my dirty clothes and let me go.

Must say I found Aussie customs to be quite pleasant, I wasn't even asked anything, but I was inspected for Quarantine (muddy shoes) and they were also pretty friendly too.

[Hotel Tango]

Only one experience arriving in Australia and it was a breeze.

[vctenderness]

US Customs and Immigration take some beating for rudeness, depending on which airport you are flying to.

Saudi Arabia is in a league of its own employing semi literate children to harass all 'foreigners'.

Travel a lot to Turkey and, surprisingly, never had a problem, in fact, at Bodrum only ever saw them once.

[IBMJunkman]

Went in and out of Linate every quarter for 10 years. Only time I was 'searched' was when I brought in a box tied up with string. Of course they wanted to see in it. Cut the string (now no way to carry it). On the top was a package of new underwear. They stopped looking. Lower down was 5 sets of gold Cross pen sets. :-)

[Metro man]

These days, Customs and Immigration are often combined into a border protection agency and it can be difficult to tell who's who.

Customs in most African countries are on the make and can be difficult if tips aren't forthcoming.

Immigration at Heathrow can't seem to distinguish between third world arrivals who are likely to overstay and first world arrivals who won't. A 19 year old from Bangladesh is a potential illegal and needs the full questioning regime concerning return ticket/funds/reason for visit. A middle aged Australian with a passport full of stamps doesn't and its time that was explained to some of those at the immigration desks.

For outright miserable, rude and sarcastic you would need to go a long way to beat the U.S. Immigration and Naturalisation Service.

[sherburn2LA]

The officious git who 'guards' the e-gates in T3 at Manchester would be a contender in any competition.

[esa-aardvark]

Tried to declare some stuff at BKK last year. Customs lady was
having none of that nonsense. No she said, green channel.
I realised that she didn't want to do the paperwork.

[WilliumMate]

USA, OZ, Singapore and many others have never had a problem. Only real search was when bringing a large van containing household effects through Dieppe coming back to the UK. Many questions by the two officers, then helped them lift an overweight, arthritic labrador into the van where she sat for a minute before being helped off. Handshakes and on to the ferry.

[Blues&twos]

The first time my wife and I travelled on the Eurostar, years ago, a French official asked to see our passports as the train was speeding towards the tunnel. I handed him my recently renewed passport for inspection. He looked at it, looked at me, looked at it again and then loudly and theatrically said (to be read in a stereotypical French accent) "You must come wiz me.... TO PRISON!!". There was a long pause. I didn't know what to say. He then continued, in the same manner "You 'ave not....SIGNED YOUR PASSPORT!!". Then he laughed and handed me a pen. I laughed nervously, signed it and that was that. :-)

[Mr Mac]

Not done Australia, so for me it would be US, especially Washington. Closley followed by UK immigration who appear to on one hell off a power trip over the last few years. In 3rd world it would be my good pals in Lagos who are always so pleased to see me, and releive me of anything they think I may not need !

[Piltdown Man]

Customs officials are variable throughout Europe. With the exception of a certain Polish official, all have been very civilised. Yes they gave been a bit short, but I don't they get much job satisfaction. Immigration and border officials, with the exception of MME, have been positively jolly and the medal for cheerfulness should go to those who work in DUB. I even look forward to passing through there.

[Planemike]

Passed through Billund (Demark) on Sunday afternoon. Was able to crack a joke with the emigration official who checked my passport, he responded and was quite "human".....!!

[Heathrow Harry]

"Tried to declare some stuff at BKK last year. Customs lady was
having none of that nonsense. No she said, green channel.
I realised that she didn't want to do the paperwork."

Once arrived at Bergen at 17;00 Friday - everyone streaming throiugh Customs - I had some kit to declare and the guy took one look at the form and signed it without looking - a little old lady then turned up and was trying to declare a coupleof bottles of booze - the Agent waved her thru, she argued and put her case on his table- he chalked OK on it and turned his back - she started to open the case - he was prsessing down trying to close it ....... it was hysterical TBH.....

[cooperplace]

Well, I'm Australian so I never have any real interaction with our immigration people, but many times I've thought our customs are officious, not rude, just very officious. As if they've learnt their customer service skills at the motor vehicle dept charm school. And by way I always play a very straight bat with all these people: pleasant, obliging, and never any attitude.

[parabellum]

Never had a problem with Australian customs but they are red hot on anyone trying to bring in fresh food of certain categories and plant life and any one who tries to be a bit clever, (PDR1, could this be you?;)). USA, lucky so far, best Anchorage and Seattle.
Nigeria and Indonesia, (Pakenbaru), by far the worst, India can be difficult if they are in the mood.

[Pom Pax]

What visitors to Oz do not realise is that quarantine does not just apply at International gateways but also at State borders.
My daughter still not forgiven quarantine for confiscating her apple when on the bus westbound across the Nullarbor thirty years ago.

[Load Toad]

Indonesia - happy to ask for and accept bribes; go figure what security must be like
Singapore - happy, swift & polite
HK - glad I have PR ID
APEC areas - glad I have an APEC card
UK - embarrassing, the way my wife of 21 years is treated because she's Chinese is a disgrace.