A flow control valve includes a housing, a valve element, a valve-element urger, a first valve, and a second valve. The first valve closes the communication between inlet and outlet openings of the housing gradually when the valve-element urger moves the valve element away from the inlet opening. The second valve opens the communication between the inlet and outlet openings when the valve-element urger moves the valve element away from the inlet opening. The first valve is opened, and the second valve is closed when a differential pressure between a pressure of the fluid on an inlet-opening side and a pressure of the fluid on an outlet-opening side is a predetermined value or less. The second valve opens the communication between the inlet and outlet openings instantaneously when the differential pressure is more than a predetermined value.