Approach Clearance?

[ppragman]

The missing piece to the above is that 91.175(i) doesn't explicitly spell out RNAV direct to the IF as approved.

Of course, random RNAV routes also only happen in areas with radar monitoring, so...

I'm a little late to this party - but this is not entirely true.

If the operator is approved for Class II nav you can (more or less with caveats) go direct anywhere outside of the service volumes.

Under class I nav you can go direct inside the service volumes and under many circumstances this does not necessarily require radar contact.