The establishment of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the modern Albanian state dates back to the establishment of the Provisional Government of Vlora on December 4, 1912, a few days after the declaration of Albania’s secession from the Ottoman Empire. The Prime Minister of the Provisional Government, Ismail Qemali, also held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs until June 1913.

Over the years, the structure of the MFA underwent many changes in order to improve its activity, it becomes more politically focused and more adapted to internal and external policies. For a better coordination of the affairs between the MFA and the representations and between the representations themselves, day by day the need to enter into more direct relations with the foreign diplomatic body accredited in Albania and the Albanian representations abroad was gaining special importance.

In December 1954, a project was presented – the first decision for the creation of the service office for foreigners and its regulations, which included the functions that the relations branch had
abroad in the prime minister.

Based on the decision of the Council of Ministers of the People’s Republic with no. 256, dated 19.07.1955, the Ministry of Trade in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs determined the types of services that will be performed by the service office of the diplomatic corps, which will be part of of the structure of the MFA, in order to improve the supply and service that would be offered to accredited diplomatic missions in Tirana and to foreign specialists. Also, this office would include a series of issues for which, until today, diplomatic missions were offered the Protocol service of the MFA as well as other Albanian departments.

The services office would maintain contact with the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Trade.

These departments to meet the various needs of the diplomatic corps would submit requests to the above-mentioned office.

The Ministry of Finance in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs determined a commission tax of 15% for various services for the diplomatic corps and foreign specialists and 30% for fuel, which the Service Office of the diplomatic corps had the right to receive. While a part of the services could be done by the private sector, for which an amount of 50,000 ALL would be made available in the form of vehicles.

On 06.08.1955, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced to the accredited diplomatic missions in Tirana that the service office of the diplomatic corps had been established, with its headquarters at “Kongresi i Përmet” street no. 170 Tel. 27-56, which will start its function since 15.08.1955. It also informs them of the functions and powers that this office will exercise.

The organization and regulations on the organization and competences of this service office are also approved.
The staff of the office of Services for the diplomatic corps and foreign specialists consisted of 5 employees.
– The director
– The director
– Head of housing
– Secretary- accountant
– Courier – servant
This service office would exercise the following functions:
Provision of buildings for the headquarters of diplomatic representatives for residence.
Ensuring the supply and regular service of diplomatic missions in R.P. of Albania.
Maintenance of headquarters and buildings for the residence of diplomatic representatives, property of the Albanian state, exercising control at least twice a year and taking care of repairs, installations
based on completed contracts.
It provided apartments for rent for the summer season on the beach of Durres for the staff of the representative offices.
It ensured the finding of reception rooms, conferences that were organized by the representative offices.
He was interested in making available, for their needs, staff or their families, servants, cleaners, cooks.
He was interested in issuing vehicle permits, license plates and drivers’ licenses.
It provided travel tickets abroad for the personnel of the representative offices.
Regulates according to the laws in force the customs issues of diplomatic missions when they come or leave the Republic of Albania.
After the democratic political changes that took place in Albania in 1992 and the new breath that Albanian foreign policy received, the Office of the Service of the Diplomatic Corps is presented as the Directorate of the Service of the Diplomatic Corps.
Already DSHTD based on VKM – in no. 840, dated 17.12.2004, “On the activity of the Directorate of the Service of the Diplomatic Body”, amended by the VKM no. 631, dated 15.09.2006, “On some additions and changes in decision no. 840, dated 17.12.2004, of the Council of Ministers, “On the activity of the Service Directorate of the Diplomatic Corps”, operates and has as its object:
1. The Directorate of the Service of the Diplomatic Corps (D.SH.T.D) is a legal entity, public, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which carries out its activity in support of the law no. 7582, dated 13.7.1992 “On state enterprises” .
2. The object of DSHTD activity is:
a) Administration and maintenance of assets, movable and immovable, state property, which are in use for the treatment of the foreign diplomatic corps, accredited in the Republic of Albania;
b) Administration and maintenance of assets, movable and immovable, property of the Albanian state in other states, which serve for the exercise of the activity of the diplomatic missions of the Republic of Albania.