Air carrier Captain reported accepting an RNAV approach into an airport that required a 5G filter. The aircraft did not have the filter and the pilots did not receive a visual approach clearance.

Narrative

As Captain (PM) on a flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ we were descending via the ZZZZZ [STAR] in ZZZ. We had the brief completed well in advance. The plan was to request visual [Runway] XXR since that is what was showing on the ATIS. We requested with ATC that we would like the RNAV Y XXR which was a NPR approach and that would transition into the visual approach. While still on the STAR we could visually see ZZZ about 18 miles away and just before I could request the visual for XXR the approach frequency got busy and couldn't get a word in to confirm that we were now cleared for the visual. Finally at about 14 miles from the airport we were clear for the instrument approach and told to switch to tower. Rather than taking up more time on the approach frequency I switched to tower as instructed and checked in with tower starting that we were on the RNAV Y XXR/ Visual. We were cleared to land and continued to make a normal approach to landing and taxied to our gate without any issues. Although we were in VMC several miles from the airport; the main issue we didn't officially get the visual approach and our plane didn't have the 5G filter installed.Main factor was lack of proper communication with ATC due to radio congestion.The best way we could have avoided this event was to select/request a different approach to avoid the need to be cleared for the visual later in the flight.