(Generally the amount of corruption increases in direct proportion to the amount of poverty.)

Clearly-Western people have an (unfair) advantage. Passport control staff realize that it is harder to get bribes out of them. Westerners often don't realize what is being asked for and, when they do, they tend to get morally outraged. In addition, thanks to (unfair) colonialism, there is a residual feeling that Westerners must have ties with those in authority.

Try to position you infront of a more attractiv target (so that the staff will want to hurry you: the should look local and prosperous, but not so prosperous as to have close friends in high places, and have a lot of baggage).

If you are dunned, you will knwo because the authorities will ask you to step into a back room. Don't try to argue against the minor infraction they have discovered, no matter how absurd. Once you've got to this stage, it is to late. Instead, listen quietly to what they say and then reply "I am sorry. Beign foreigner I didn't know. What can I do to solve the problem".

If this fails to bring out a price, listen a bit more and then say "Perhabs I could pay a fine here rather than going to court." Accompany this statement by pulling out a five dollar bill.

Never use the word "brige", never indicate a payement is being made to them personally to drop the case.

If they ask for more, it's best to become obstinate. Say that 5 $ is all you can afford. If they press you, ask to speak to your Consul (have that telefon number and his name, or "anyname", ready).

Seing that you are obstinate and that there may be trouble with higher authorities if they detain you, they will probably start lowering their price.

Continue being obstinate until the price gets to a range you think "reasonable"; then, with a great display of reluctance, pay it and leave.

(from the Airline Passenger's Guerilla Handbook, ISBN 0-924022-04-3)