Former IPL chairman in exile, Lalit Modi, has been living in London since 2010 following various allegations of misconduct, financial mismanagement and issuing threats. The man, who has been in the news ever since for making controversial claims, legal disputes and more, has surrendered his Indian passport at London's High Commission of India. India's Ministry of External Affairs confirmed this as well. Where is the man headed? Well, he has acquired citizenship in Vanuatu, a small island nation in the South Pacific. The country, which is most famous for Mount Yasur - home to the world's most active volcanoes, is also known for beautiful beaches, an exotic culture and most of all, its 'Citizenship by Investment (CBI)' programme.
The scheme lets wealthy individuals buy Vanuatu passports by making major monetary contributions to the nation's economy. Interestingly, while many other countries, including Egypt, also have similar programmes, Vanuatu claims it has the fastest and simplest procedures of them all. Apparently, all formalities can be completed digitally, very few documents are required, the processing time is just around 60 days after applying, and the applicant need not even set foot in Vanuatu for the same! The passport cost is around Rs 1.35 crores, and that's the reason for the nickname, 'golden passport.' The owner of such a passport can also acquire citizenship for a family of four. 

Vanuatu, a tourist haven
Vanuatu is not a popular tourist destination for Indians, probably due to lack of direct flights, visa requirements and expenses; however, it is a tourist haven known for its world-class diving, snorkeling, high-end resorts, volcanoes and more. Here are the top tourist destinations of Vanuatu:
1) Mount Yasur
Ever seen social media memes featuring up-close videos of lava eruptions? They were most probably shot at Vanuatu's Mount Yasur, one of the most active and accessible volcanoes in the world. Its glowing lava bursts, which are most 'dramatic' at night, thrill tourists with their booming sound, tremors, and even their cultural connection. It's also a place that demands no extreme hiking to check it out. 

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2) Champagne Beach
Located on the Espiritu Santo Island of Vanuatu, Champagne Beach is a hotspot for photography and snorkeling. It has soft white sands and clear turquoise water. The volcanic sea floor causes natural underwater bubbles to rise from the beach, so it's apparently called Champagne Beach. It's also a popular stop for cruise ships.
3) Blue Holes
Yet another popular phenomenon on social media reels and tourism circuits, 'Blue Holes' are natural freshwater pools with deep cobalt blue shades surrounded by green forests. Tourists love to swim, dive, kayak, or just float on these water bodies and even do activities like 'rope swing' for fun jumps. 
'Vanuatu' has more than 10K search volume on Google Trends in the past 14 hours. 

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