with regards to immigration?

I vacationed in UK in 2000 and they were pretty abrupt in greeting inbound tourist.

By extension, which is most lax?

I was generally thinking Europe, but other countries I'd also like to hear about.

Japan was very upfront. Vietnam didn't say anything but definitely went through my luggage. I don't remember anything particular regarding New Zealand and Spain.

g

 

I was talking about both. I know of two countries where customs and immigration are linked departments.

In Japan, customs at the airport went through my luggage in front of me and started asking questions regarding whether I wanted to stay etc. Later in that trip in NE Tokyo, Ueno, a policeman stopped me and asked me for my passport. I did not know one needed to have one just to walk down the street (luckily I had mine on my person).

I remember the Sydney Morning Herald having a front page picture above the fold of an American physically being deported at the airport. It was probably some notorious case which I don't remember the details of, but that struck me as extreme.

 

I remember in Honolulu coming back from Hanoi I was asked to step into an 'investigation room' where two ambitious customs agents went through my person as intimately as I'd wish a woman on a first date would (drugs). I also know a 5 year old girl who was singled out for pat down at Heathrow because she is half Iraqi (terrorism).

There's this case in New Zealand unfolding now, where apparently you can buy citizenship for $10m (firm). http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/6308387/Kim-Dotcom-denied-bail-to-appeal