(BiO)(2)CO3 (BOC), a fascinating material, belongs to the Aurivillius-related oxide family with an inter growth texture in which Bi2O22+ layers and CO32- layers are orthogonal to each other. BOC is a suitable candidate for various fields, such as healthcare, photocatalysis, humidity sensor, nonlinear optical application and supercapacitors. Recently, the photocatalysis properties of (BiO)(2)CO3 have been gained increased attention. BOC has a wide band gap (3.1-3.5 eV), which constrains its visible light absorption and utilization. In order to enhance the visible light driven photocatalytic performance of BOC, many modification strategies have been developed. According to the discrepancies of different coupling mechanisms, six primary systems of BOC-based nanocomposites can be classified and summarized: namely, metal/BOC heterojunction, single metal oxides (metal sulfides)/BOC heterostructure, bismuth-based metallic acid salts (BixMOy)/BOC, bismuth oxyhalides (BiOX)/BOC, metal-free semiconductor/BOC and the BOC-based complex heterojunction. Doping BOC with nonmetals (C, N and oxygen vacancy) is unique strategy and warrants a separate categorization. In this review, we first give a detailed description of the strategies to fabricate various BOC micro/nano structures. Next, the mechanisms of photocatalytic activity enhancement are elaborated in three parts, including BOC-based nanocomposites, nonmetal doping and formation of oxygen vacancy. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of BOC-based systems can be attributed to the unique interaction of the p-n junction (semiconductor/semiconductor heterostructures), the Schottky junction (metal/semiconductor heterostructures), the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect, the surface scattering and reflecting (SSR) effect, the well-matched band structures, tunable electronic band structure, photosensitization and excellent electronic conductivity. Besides, multi-functional applications of BOC based materials are presented. Finally, prospective about the rational design, mechanistic understanding and application of BOC based materials is demonstrated, aiming to broaden the perspective and provide guidelines for future work. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.