We are travelling to Mexico at the end of March and will be doing voluntary work until mid June. Before we come back, we’d like to fly from Cancun to Havana for a few days. I’ve heard that you can be penalised when entering the US if you visit Cuba, which could be a tricky, as our return flight from Cancun to the UK has a plane change in New York. Is this a problem? Simon Rich, by email

Sunday Times travel expert Richard Green responds: The US first attempted to ban its citizens travelling to Cuba back in 1963, and since then has passed several bills that forbid Americans from visiting the island, or more precisely, from spending money there.

But these measures are easy to get around, and some American tourists do. It’s similar to visiting Israel and knowing that you might well visit Dubai, Doha, or Muscat in the future, and the Cuban authorities, as the Israeli officials, will stamp a separate paper on your arrival and departure, rather than marking the pages in your passport.

Visitors to Cuba must have a valid ten-year passport good for at least six months beyond your intended departure date, and a tourist card. If booking in the UK, tourist cards cost £15 and are most easily available from your tour operator or travel agent. If you are buying your flights to Havana when you get to Mexico, then the Mexican travel agent will also sell you a tourist card, for the Peso equivalent of £15.

For more information, contact the Cuban tourist office in London on 0207 420 3100, or visit www.cubatravel.cu

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