If you are part of the EU and move to countries that are also part or at least have strong ties your experience on the border can still differ a whole lot.

I've been traveling during high alert corona times where you had to carry extra corona related paperwork or at least that was the official message, but at the border no one even asked for your passport. There were a lot more people at the border but a lot less interest in getting close.

Then at more normal times border agents wanted to know nearly everything about what was in the car. Sometimes you have to drive through a scanner and sometimes they just wish you a happy day or not even talk to you.

It's mostly chance, but no one ever wanted my phone, so far.

Poland border agents do ask why you're visiting. Don't know where you're getting that info.

> Where are you going? Where will you be staying? What do you intend to do? (it's what US border agents ask their citizens)

Recently you don't even have to get your passport out of the bag, nevermind talking to anybody - you just stroll through the gate. They know who you are via facial recognition (which is creepy in its own right). But how would you know that, tovarisch mayor, your metoditchka was written a long time ago.

Polish border agents told me (Ukrainian, first time to Poland) to speak to them in polish language when they were checking my documents some years ago, so YMMV.

This is completely counter to my recent-ish experience. Over the last two years I've entered Poland... 14 times? and over time, the experience has gotten more intrusive.

Strongly depends where you're from. I know of people who were turned around.

But if you are from outside the EU, it’s tad different.