In a fuel injection valve, a flat surface (13c) generally parallel to a nozzle hole plate (11) is formed at the forward end of a valve body. Nozzle hole inlets (12a) are disposed at positions on the inner side of a virtual envelope curve (15), on the outer side of a flat part at the forward end of the valve body, where the virtual envelope curve (15) is a curve in which an extension (10b) of the inner wall on the downstream side of a valve seat and a flat surface (11c) on the upstream side of the nozzle hole plate cross. The diameter d of a nozzle hole inlet and the perpendicular distance h between the flat part at the forward end of the valve body and the flat surface on the upstream side of the nozzle hole plate has the relation of h < d. Nozzle holes (12) are tilted a predetermined angle relative to the plate thickness direction of the nozzle hole plate.