A fuel injector includes a fuel valve with a valve seat and a movable valve needle, a calibration spring and an electromagnetic actuator with a solenoid and a movable armature. The calibration spring exerts a pressing force on the valve needle for pressing the valve needle in a closing direction towards the valve seat. When the solenoid is electrically energized, the electromagnetic actuator is operable to transfer a lifting force to the valve needle by engagement with the armature for lifting the valve needle from the valve seat to a fully open position against the pressing force of the calibration spring. The calibration spring and the electromagnetic actuator are configured such that the lifting force equals the pressing force in the fully open position.