Some one gave me a tip and I took it. When sending any copies of any documents, either pay to get several original copies or go back to the same institution that gave you the document and ask them to certify it.
I Ja, it just took me a couple hours to get the photocopies of our passports certified by PICA. At the university, the Registrar certified the copies of our degrees and diploma the SAME day.
For the birth certificates, we went back to the agency that issued them and applied for copies. So I applied for 5 copies of each persons birth certificate.
Transcripts were original and came directly from the schools who issued them.
Save yourself the time and get original where possible.