Hip-hop supercouple Beyonce and Jay Z received licences from the U.S. government for their controversial trip to Cuba last week (03Apr13), according to a new report.

The high-profile pair came under fire for opting to take a four-day vacation to Havana, where American tourists are banned, and two outraged U.S. Republicans sent a letter to the Treasury Department demanding information about the couple's trip.

Officials at the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, which grants licences for travel to Cuba, do not comment on individual cases, but a source tells Reuters the Crazy In Love hitmakers obtained the proper authorisation before taking off.

The insider adds that Beyonce and Jay Z's trek was a "people-to-people" cultural visit.

Beyonce and Jay Z, who celebrated their fifth wedding anniversary on Thursday (04Apr13), caused chaos amongst excited locals as they toured the capital, but the source insists the stars' walk around the Old City was led by top architect Miguel Coyula.