Beyonce Knowles and Jay-Z received permission from the US government to celebrate their fifth wedding anniversary in Cuba.

The couple - who have 15-month-old daughter Blue Ivy Carter together - jetted off to the communist-led Carribbean island, which the US has a long standing trade embargo against that prevents its citizens from visiting the country, last week to celebrate five years of marriage and their visit was approved by government officials and the Treasury Department because it was a ''cultural trip''.

A source said that the 31-year-old 'Love on Top' singer and the 43-year-old rapper's holiday was fully licenced as their trip included a number of cultural activities including meeting with Cuban artists and musicians, listening to live music in local clubs, dining in private restaurants and visiting a children's theatre.

The trip was also approved because it was about them having a ''people-to-people'' experience and did not involve typical tourist excursions like going to the beach or any official activities like meeting Cuban officials.

John McAuliff, executive director for the Fund for Reconciliation and Development, voiced his support for the couple's visit, saying: ''It's hard to imagine a more people-to-people contact visit than the scenes witnessed last week on the streets of Havana with two of the United States' biggest music stars wading through crowds of fans they never knew they had.''

They were previously reported to have dined at La Guarida restaurant, where the crowd outside called their names until Beyonce waved from a balcony.

Waitress Silvia Fernandez said: ''She was beautiful, without a drop of makeup, very natural. What happened with the people was incredible.''