What is a pay stub called in Spanish?
The word changes with the country, and the person reading your document will expect their own term.
- United States
- Talón de pago, talón de cheque, or comprobante de pago
- Mexico
- Recibo de nómina. Employers issue it as an electronic invoice, the CFDI de nómina
- Spain
- Nómina, or recibo de salarios on older forms
- Central and South America
- Colilla de pago, desprendible de nómina or boleta de pago, depending on the country
- Proof of income
- Comprobante de ingresos, the general term for a stub, an employer letter or a tax return
Every line of a US pay stub in Spanish
This glossary follows the order of a typical US stub, from the header to the year-to-date totals. Use it to read a stub, or to check a translation before you send it to family or a landlord abroad.
| On the stub | In Spanish |
|---|---|
| Pay period, pay date | Periodo de pago, fecha de pago |
| Employee ID | Número de empleado |
| Gross pay | Salario bruto, ingresos brutos |
| Net pay, take-home pay | Salario neto, pago neto |
| Regular hours, overtime | Horas regulares, horas extra |
| Hourly rate | Tarifa por hora |
| Federal income tax withheld | Impuesto federal sobre la renta retenido |
| State income tax | Impuesto estatal sobre la renta |
| Social Security, Medicare (FICA) | Seguro Social, Medicare (FICA) |
| Pre-tax deductions: 401(k), health insurance | Deducciones antes de impuestos: plan 401(k), seguro médico |
| Year to date (YTD) | Acumulado del año |
| Direct deposit | Depósito directo |
Keep the amounts, dates and the employer's name exactly as printed. A US stub writes 1,250.75, and readers in Mexico expect the same separators, while readers in Spain write 1.250,75. Name the currency once, USD, so nobody has to guess.
A Spanish payslip in English: the lines that trip people up
Going the other way, a Mexican recibo de nómina or a Spanish nómina has items with no single US equivalent. These are the usual English renderings a translator would use.
| On the payslip | In English |
|---|---|
| Percepciones, devengos | Earnings |
| Deducciones | Deductions |
| Sueldo base, salario diario | Base salary, daily wage |
| Aguinaldo | Year-end bonus (aguinaldo) |
| Prima vacacional | Vacation bonus |
| ISR retenido, IRPF | Income tax withheld (ISR in Mexico, IRPF in Spain) |
| Cuota IMSS, Seguridad Social | Social security contribution (IMSS in Mexico) |
| INFONAVIT | Housing fund loan repayment (INFONAVIT) |
| Neto a pagar, líquido a percibir | Net pay |
| RFC, CURP, NSS | Tax ID, population registry code and social security number, copied as written |
Pay stubs as proof of income for USCIS
On the I-864 affidavit of support, every sponsor sends the most recent federal tax return. Pay stubs from the most recent six months and a letter from the employer are optional extras that you may add if they help you qualify[2].
A payslip from a job in Mexico or Spain is in Spanish, so it goes in with a full English translation that the translator certifies as complete and accurate, along with a certification that they are competent to translate[1]. The rule names no agency. The USCIS translation guide covers who may sign.
How to translate a pay stub with LoreAI
- Get the stub as a PDF or a photo. A PDF from the payroll portal, a scan or a phone photo of a paper stub all work.
- Upload it and choose the target language. English for a recibo de nómina, Spanish for a US stub. LoreAI detects the source language.
- Download the Word file. Earnings and deductions come back as a real Word table, with each amount in its column and the employer's header in place.
- Add a signed statement if the receiver needs one. For USCIS, the person who checks the translation signs it. The certificate of translation template has the wording.
Six months of stubs is a short stack. Free covers 3 pages, Basic up to 30 pages per document and Pro up to 100 pages.
Questions people ask
How do you say pay stub in Spanish?
Talón de pago is the usual US term. In Mexico it is recibo de nómina, and in Spain nómina.
What is recibo de nómina in English?
Payslip or pay stub. Percepciones are the earnings and deducciones the deductions.
How do you say proof of income in Spanish?
Comprobante de ingresos. It covers pay stubs, an employer letter and a tax return, the declaración de impuestos.
Does USCIS accept pay stubs in Spanish?
Only with a full English translation and the translator's signed certification of accuracy and competence[1].
Is LoreAI a certified translation service?
No. LoreAI returns an editable Word translation. A person fluent in both languages reviews it and signs the certification when one is needed.
Sources
- 8 CFR 103.2(b)(3), Translations, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, accessed November 9, 2026
- USCIS: I-864, Affidavit of Support Under Section 213A of the INA, filing checklist, accessed November 9, 2026
By Matt Mountain ·