Abstract: A polymer based on a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine is prepared by polycondensation in an extruder, by (a) heating a mixture of a dicarboxylic acid having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms and a diamine having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms, which mixture is solid at room temperature and has a residual moisture content of less than 5% by weight, to a temperature in the range from 150 to 400° C. under autogenous pressure in a contrarotating twin-screw extruder to give a product A, (b) feeding the product A to a corotating twin-screw extruder, with the product A being exposed to a temperature in the range from 150 to 400° C. and residual water present and also water from the polycondensation being removed through the degassing openings, to give a product B, with the proviso that the corotating twin-screw extruder has at least two segments having different pressures.